This week, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began a voluntary statewide survey of households at random in 180 sites statewide to submit to an interview and free COVID-19 testing. The initiative is called the Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response, or CASPER, and will help health officials better understand how the coronavirus has spread and why, the rate of infection in different regions and the percentage of asymptomatic infections.
Local and state law enforcement agencies have no way of knowing what areas this random testing will take place in, so please be aware there is a chance you could see CASPER officials in your neighborhood. The survey runs through the end of September and all health officials will have proper CDC or MDH identification on them when in the field.