A whistleblower at HHS filed a complaint Feb. 26 alleging the agency sent more than a dozen workers to receive the first Americans evacuated from Wuhan, China, without protective gear or training for coronavirus infection control, according to The Washington Post.
The whistleblower, who is seeking federal protection, is a senior HHS official who oversees workers at the Administration for Children and Families. Her complaint, filed with the Office of the Special Counsel, alleges she was improperly reassigned after raising concerns about the safety of the workers to officials at HHS.
"We are hopeful that Congress and the OSC will investigate this case in a timely and comprehensive manner," Ari Wilkenfeld, a lawyer for the whistleblower, told CNN. "This matter concerns HHS's response to the coronavirus, and its failure to protect its employees and potentially the public. The retaliatory efforts to intimidate and silence our client must be opposed."
After the complaint was filed, the House Ways and Means Committee sent letters to HHS Secretary Alex Azar, the comptroller's office and HHS' deputy inspector general seeking more information.