Nation's largest nurses union condemns new CDC guidance on masks

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Source: The Hill

The nation's largest nurses union condemned the new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that stipulates fully vaccinated people do not have to wear masks in most settings.

National Nurses United (NNU) in a statement Saturday said it was concerned that it would put patients, front-line workers and nurses at risk amid a pandemic that is still present in the U.S.

"This newest CDC guidance is not based on science, does not protect public health, and threatens the lives of patients, nurses, and other frontline workers across the country," said NNU Executive Director Bonnie Castillo. "Now is not the time to relax protective measures, and we are outraged that the CDC has done just that while we are still in the midst of the deadliest pandemic in a century."

"CDC issued this new guidance even though the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) emergency temporary standard mandated by President Biden's Jan. 21 executive order has been delayed for two months. This lack of protection compounds the dangers that nurses and other essential workers continue to face on the job," Castillo added.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/nations-largest-nurses-union-condemns-new-cdc-guidance-on-masks/ar-BB1gLXVd?li=BBnb7Kz

[sheshe2]

1. Generations of nurses in my family...

Only one left working. My grandmother is dead. Mom and sister now retired. My niece is ICU and she lived it all.

[sop]

2. They're right, it's "not based on science, does not protect public health, and threatens the lives

of patients, nurses, and other frontline workers across the country." It's a political and financial decision.

[Skittles]

11. one that many DUers seem to be A-OK with

[rurallib]

3. good for them

[Maraya1969]

4. I don't see how it can put nurses and front line worker's lives in jeopardy if they

are vaccinated. Did we learn that yes you can catch Covid if you are vaccinated but hospitalization and death would not happen?

What is the point of being vaccinated if you still have to act like you're not?

I do understand wearing a mask to protect those who have not been vaccinated yet but I don't feel like wearing one to protect the dumb asses that are refusing the vaccine. However from what I have read even if I, as a vaccinated person catch Covid and pass it on to someone else it would be a very low levels because the viral load would be very very low.

I know Bill Mahar got Covid - or he tested positive after his inoculation. I am very interested in finding out if he felt at all ill.

At some point we are going to have to return to normal. Is there a level of vaccination where that should be OK?

[Rebl2]

6. Some of us

that have been vaccinated are still at risk because we have compromised immune systems from disease. I for one, take drugs that also suppress the immune system. You also need to remember that small children still are unable to be vaccinated and while they don’t always have serious problems if they get Covid, some do and some have died.

[Maraya1969]

10. These are the numbers from Illinois

What are your chances of getting coronavirus if you're fully vaccinated?

According to medical experts, so-called breakthrough cases - cases where fully vaccinated individuals test positive for coronavirus - are possible, but have so far been rare.

The Illinois Department of Public Health has reported 56 deaths due to COVID-19 or related complications in fully vaccinated individuals since Jan. 1, but further details on those cases aren't available. As of April 28, another 183 "breakthrough" vaccine cases - those who test positive for coronavirus at least two weeks after their final vaccine dose - had been hospitalized.

That's out of more than 4.6 million fully vaccinated residents, according to state data.

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/what-are-your-chances-of-getting-covid-after-being-vaccinated/2510575/

56 deaths out of 4.6 million vaccinated people is this number.

0.00001217391

I think you are very safe.

[Rebl2]

15. I have

heard doctors from CDC and immunologist from KU medical center saying people that have autoimmune diseases and take drugs that suppress the immune system should continue to wear masks. One more thing my doctor has suggested it as well for now.

[58Sunliner]

19. Why should we accept even ONE person dying when we can all wear a mask.

It's ridiculous that we are having this argument. Remember when we asked how many children dying was acceptable for keeping the schools open?? And you quote the stats of one state. How many deaths are acceptable? No, we are not safe.
The point of being vaccinated is to lower your risk of catching and spreading the disease[./b] It also lowers your risk of dying from the disease. That is the point. Not to pretend like there is not a disease still spreading and still killing people.

[Skittles]

24. thank you

I think it comes down to, do you care only about yourself or do you care about doing all you can to stop this pandemic.

[LeftInTX]

37. NNU is a union. More Covid patients equals more stressful working conditions

Anytime you have a patient in isolation, it significantly increases your workload, but many times you don't get the staff numbers that you need.

They aren't worried about nurses catching covid, but are advocating for working conditions because they are a union.

[VarryOn]

5. They should take it up with President Biden....

I'll go with his decision.

[marble falls]

7. It's too soon. Mask up.

[SunSeeker]

28. We should continue to mask up in public until vaccination rates get us to herd immunity.

I have no problem with takeing off my mask among people I know are vaccinated, like family and friends. But I am going to continue wearing a mask in stores and stadiums, where I in close proximity to strangers. Only 36% of Americans are fully vaccinated.

I think this CDC guidance will lead to an uptick in cases, and deaths. I hope I'm wrong.

[marble falls]

31. From what I've learned along the way, including CDC, I agree.

[FarPoint]

8. Hospitals, Nurses, clinical settings and clinical/home care agencies...

Nothing is stopping them from continuing to utilize covid-19 prevention protocols with PPE's....They did it well in the onset of covid-19 when most people could not find surgical masks let alone N-95 masks and we had to make our own hand sanitizer...

So, they can continue the same practices...They better be getting vaccinated too.

I believe this mask off option will weed out the anti-maskers, anti vax folks real quick...time to open up America and folks need to vax up or shut up...

[Ford_Prefect]

14. They won't do it now because they wouldn't before because this is about belief not facts.

You may assert what is best practice. You may pass laws requiring compliance for reasons of public health, including penalties for non-compliance. But you cannot get someone who BELIEVES the wrong things to willingly comply, unless you can show them how to see it differently.

The CDC statement was disputed by an association of over 700 epidemiologists yesterday. The Nurse's association represents experienced professionals who have put their lives on the line and who deal with the full dimension of this pandemic every day. If anyone has a substantial reason to object they certainly qualify.

I don't know the source of the CDC statement. Practically speaking it seemed to represent very poor judgement on someone's part. It made no reference to recent off-shore variants of COVID or the degrees of possible effect that remaining 15% covers.
The statement did not advise how to address enclosed situations where the preponderance of people are NOT yet inoculated such as work sites or public transportation. Since infection seems to be a case of how much viral load one is exposed to such situations would seem to represent considerable potential risk.

I for one expect we'll need to mask for some time to come. I've had both shots of the Pfizer vaccine. I am 68 and have no intention of letting dangerous fools set my health or my loved ones at risk.

I am frustrated at the behavior and judgement of those who've chosen to not mask and to avoid vaccination. There are well established public health reasons to comply with both provisions. The same people don't go into a store or restaurant barefoot and shirtless. They don't smoke indoors in public either.

So this is not a question of facts or rules but bad faith. That is the point where we need to focus.

The CDC statement seemed designed to fit the back-to-work narrative emphasized by the Governors of Florida and Arizona, and the Chamber of Commerce. It presented no supporting facts, was not attributed to specific scientific authorities nor public health officials, and was read as a pronouncement.

[masmdu]

29. "6 studies behind cdc decision to ease mask guidance"

https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/public-health/6-studies-behind-the-cdc-s-decision-to-ease-indoor-mask-guidance.html

[58Sunliner]

20. WT.???

"this mask off option will weed out the anti-maskers, anti vax folks real quick" Oh yeah, gonna solve all the problems.

[Skittles]

25. I hear you

[marble falls]

32. Right. Why should they start acting ethically now? They'll go from 'bravely' being nonmasker ...

... to cowardly claiming being vaxed to get on a plane. These people have a bad case of situational ethics.

[58Sunliner]

33. Absolutely.

[Deminpenn]

23. I believe the CDC guidance is for everyone who works in or visits

hospitals, urgent care centers, nursing homes/LTC facilities, or other medical facilities to keep wearing masks.

Also, traveling on FCC regulated systems (rail, air, bus) still requires a mask through early Sept.

The CDC/WH is not stopping any person or business or company from continuing to require masks if they so desire.

[Skittles]

9. I trust nurses and docs way more than I trust the CDC

yes indeed

[Eyeball_Kid]

16. IMO, it's apples and oranges.

"Doctors and nurses" are partially responding to anecdotal information. Yes, they have credibility.

The CDC is providing data pertaining to the US population. Yes, they have credibility.

Everyone has their personal world. Big things happen in one's personal world.

Things that happen in your personal world aren't as big in mine.

What the CDC does is gather data for the general population, with no biases.

I'm okay with that.

If the CDC is wrong in its recommendations, we'll find out soon enough.

[Skittles]

17. I'll trust what the people who deal directly with Covid say

it is TOO SOON

[sheshe2]

18. Agreed.

You know what the first PPE was for my niece in ICU was? A yellow rain slicker, worn backwards for 18 hours straight. Hot and cumbersome. Mask, N95 that is supposed to be once used? I week.

[LeftInTX]

38. What does the American Nurses Association say?

https://www.nursingworld.org/ana/

The ANA is the major professional nursing organization.

The American Nurses Association (ANA) is a 501(c)(6) professional organization to advance and protect the profession of nursing. It started in 1896 as the Nurses Associated Alumnae and was renamed the American Nurses Association in 1911.[3] It is based in Silver Spring, Maryland[4] and Ernest Grant, PhD, RN, FAAN is the current president.

The ANA states nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations.[5]

(Many nurses are members of the ANA)




National Nurses United is a union and they have a few kooks in their leadership. The NNU, with close to 185,000 members across the country,[4] is the most far-reaching union and professional association of registered nurses in the U.S. Founded in 2009 through the merging of the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, the United American Nurses, and the Massachusetts Nurses Association, the NNU focuses on amplifying the voice of direct care RNs and patients in national policy. The union's policy positions include the enactment of safe nurse-to-patient ratios, patient advocacy rights at the Executive and State level, and legislation for single-payer health care to secure "quality healthcare for all, as a human right."[5] The organization's goal is to "organize all direct care RNs into a single organization capable of exercising influence over the healthcare industry, governments, and employers."[5]

[Mawspam2]

12. I'm with the nurses on this.

Minnesota is only 40% fully vaxed, and 50% partly vaxed. It's way too early for masks to come off. CDC's 'honor system' recommendation is just asking for a large outbreak just as we're so close to stomping Covid out. Two more months and we would have been home. There are still 600 deaths per day.

[moreland01]

35. Weren't the anti-maskers and anti-vaccers

already not wearing masks? If I believe the CDC studies, those anti's can't get it from me because I'm fully vaccinated. The anti's aren't going to do anything differently than they were ever doing. The people who are vaccinated can't get them sick. So, this "large outbreak" that you're referring to was going to happen anyway. And it was going to happen to and because of the anti's.

People who can't get vaccinated (but want to) will be wearing masks, hand sanitizing and taking every precaution to keep safe.

I just have zero empathy for anti's.

[58Sunliner]

21. Good for them. This is insane.

WTF. How many deaths are acceptable?? This will not push people to vaccinate at all. Exactly what does the CDC think will happen especially when a mutant virus spreads thanks to the idiots who don't vaccinate? Who the hell in the CDC thought this was a good idea?

[Mr.Bill]

22. Trump took a wrecking ball to the credibility of the CDC.

He did it on purpose. He forced them to lie and spread false information. Are there any Trump people still working there? if not have they repaired the damage they did while they were there?

[DallasNE]

26. Who Is Applying The Political Pressure On The CDC?

I say that because of the statement the directive does not follow the science. Are Trump people still in charge of the CDC?

Several States are still witnessing over 2,000 new cases a day. This is still historically high meaning now is not the time to let down our guard. How many of these new cases are people that are getting it for the 2nd time. How many are people that have been fully vaccinated. Where is the meaningful data? Why the rush to kill more people?

[MustLoveBeagles]

27. I'm with the nurses on this

The new guidance by the CDC is premature. They should've waited a few more months at least.

[Cryptoad]

30. Geeeez,,,,,

If ur vaxed and u want to wear a mask, do so! Nobody saying u can't.........

[camartinwv]

34. There are three exceptions to the latest CDC guidance

On masks. No matter your vaccination status, you must still wear a mask in a healthcare setting, on public transit and if you are immune compromised. I think the nurses union needs to reread the guidance.

[LeftInTX]

39. They're a union and are concerned about working conditions, not catching covid themselves

Patients in isolation require more time than a patient who isn't in isolation. Unfortunately, the time it takes to get in and out of all that PPE is often not reflected in staffing numbers.

[LeftInTX]

36. NNU is probably concerned with increased patient load - keep in mind they are a union

The American Nurses Association has not spoken out against the CDC

https://www.nursingworld.org/ana/


NNU is a union and more covid means tougher working conditions. It doesn't necessarily mean that nurses are going to get covid.

Covid patients are in isolation and whenever you have patients in isolation, it increases your workload. We had babies with RSV, which is benign to adults, (it's basically a cold in adults or adults are immune) yet we practically had garb up in hazmat suits just to feed a baby with RSV. The baby also had to have it's own room, which also created numerous work conditions.

Almost all infants will contract RSV, yet some will need hospitalization.