National nurses union slams CDC no-mask guidance, calls for it to be revised

The nation’s largest nurses union is calling the CDC’s recent guidance for vaccinated people to go unmasked “dangerous,” and is pushing for it to be revised to keep all precautionary measures in place.

“We’re calling on the CDC to revise this dangerous guideline and return to using the multiple measures of infection control that work,” said Jean Ross, president of National Nurses United, of which there are more than 170,000 members nationwide.

The May 13 update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that vaccinated people no longer have to wear a mask in most settings, a move the nurses say takes away essential protection.

NNU members, speaking in a Wednesday press conference, cited concerns about variants, unvaccinated children, and the burden of having to differentiate who is vaccinated and who is not.

“This newest CDC guidance does not protect public health and threatens the lives of patients, nurses and other essential workers across the country,” said Jane Thomason, NNU’s lead certified industrial hygienist.

Thomason noted that only about 37% of the American population has been vaccinated thus far, and coronavirus infection can still occur among vaccinated individuals, further highlighting the need to keep masking protocols in place.

Zenei Triunfo-Cortez, co-president of NNU added, “All precautionary measures should stay in place because that’s the reason why our numbers are down.”

States have taken differing steps in response to the new guidelines, with some such as California, holding off for awhile. In Massachusetts, May 29 will mark a near-complete reopening along with a lifted mask mandate in most settings for vaccinated people.

Nearly half of the Bay State’s total population has been vaccinated and key coronavirus metrics have been hitting record lows in recent days.

But the nurses said the mask-free guidelines still are not appropriate, even in states that are doing well in beating back the virus.

“There will come a time when everything looks like it’s going well and we can relax. But now is not that time,” said Ross, taking a question from the Herald.

The medical community has been split on the CDC’s announcement. Massachusetts Nurses Association has not yet taken a stance on the matter, according to a spokesman.

Massachusetts Medical Society passed policy last week that states it endorses “the use of masks for all those wishing to reduce the risk of respiratory tract infection during the time of year when respiratory pathogens are most likely to circulate and whenever respiratory infections are known to be circulating when people are in close contact and indoors. ”

The CDC did not respond to the Herald’s request for comment.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3wiEcmF