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The Hmong community was hit hard by COVID-19. Even as Minnesota emerges from the pandemic, the worry and grief of the last year will linger for many in the tight-knit community. 

Beloved elders who survived the refugee experience and the start of a new life in Minnesota were 

. Community leaders battled misinformation. And, the strong tradition of Hmong communal life — including extended family activities and big funerals — came into direct conflict with the need to socially distance to be safe from the virus. 

The Minnesota Department of Health tracks COVID-19 cases by broad racial groups, not specific ethnic categories, so it is hard to measure the extent of the impact of COVID-19 on Hmong people. One recent report found that 

Hmong people accounted for half of the deaths in Minnesota among Asians

Host Angela Davis explored some of the cultural and economic reasons the virus took such a toll in the Hmong community and recent efforts to encourage  vaccinations. 

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Host Angela Davis spoke with two Hmong health leaders about the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on the Hmong community and the lingering effects of the pandemic.

MPR News with Angela Davis - Host Angela Davis talks with two Hmong health leaders about the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on the Hmong community and the lingering effects of the pandemic.

How COVID-19 impacted the Hmong community

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