National Nurses United calls for resumption of mask mandates as COVID-19 cases spike

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The National Nurses United union is calling for reinstatement of universal mask mandates, regardless of vaccination status, in response to rising incidents of COVID-19 across certain areas of the country.

The group cited statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing a 16% increase in daily new cases this week as compared to the week prior. Most states have seen an increase over the past couple of weeks, and globally incidence remains high, the union said.

In a letter sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Monday, National Nurses United specifically mentioned the Delta variant of the coronavirus, against which vaccines may be less effective. The group also linked the rising case count to the rapid reopening of states and the removal of certain public health measures, including the CDC's May 13 guidance update that told vaccinated Americans they no longer needed to wear masks, observe physical distancing, avoid crowds, or get tested and isolate after an exposure, within only a few exceptions.

"The CDC's guidance failed to account for the possibility -- which preliminary data from the United Kingdom and Israel now indicates is likely -- of infection and transmission of the virus, especially variants of concern, by fully vaccinated individuals," according to the letter.

WHAT'S THE IMPACT?

The NNU urged the CDC to reinstate universal masking regardless of vaccination status, citing the potential spread by asymptomatic and presymptomatic individuals, and the less than 100% efficacy boasted by even the most effective vaccines. 

"According to the CDC, only 48% of the total population in the United States have been fully vaccinated as of July 11, 2021, which means there are still many unvaccinated individuals, many of whom are not yet eligible for vaccination, including children under the age of 12 years and infants, who remain vulnerable to infection, hospitalization, and death as well as long-term impacts from infection," the letter said.

NNU called the CDC's guidance over the past 16 months "weak" and said the agency refused to fully recognize aerosol transmission of the virus, potentially leading to the infection and hospitalization of frontline healthcare workers. 

The nurses union said the CDC should also require tracking and transparent reporting of COVD-19 infections among healthcare and other essential workers, as the U.S. still lacks a national framework for doing so. As of July 11, the CDC reported that 1,691 healthcare workers have died from the virus, but NNU has tracked reports of at least 3,956 healthcare workers who have died from the disease as of July 9, the group said.

Lastly, NNU recommended the CDC track infections in people who are fully vaccinated, including mild and asymptomatic infections. 

"The CDC's decision at the beginning of May to only track vaccine breakthrough infections if they result in hospitalization or death was imprudent and short-sighted," the group wrote. "Many questions about SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 vaccines remain unanswered. For instance, it remains unclear how effective COVID-19 vaccines are for immunocompromised individuals, how long protection may last, and how well COVID-19 vaccines prevent asymptomatic and mild infections and transmission of the virus."

THE LARGER TREND

As of Wednesday, there were 187,997,302 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the world, including more than 33.9 million in the U.S., which leads the world. The U.S. also leads the world in virus-related deaths, with 607,804, according to the Johns Hopkins coronavirus tracker. 

India is second in the world in terms of cases, with more than 30.9 million, while Brazil comes in third at roughly 19 million. Brazil has recorded the second-highest number of deaths, at more than 535,000, while India has the third-highest death rate, with more than 411,000.
 

Twitter: @JELagasse
Email the writer: jeff.lagasse@himssmedia.com