
Members of National Nurses United observe a moment of silence for nurses who have died from Covid-19 near the White House on May 7, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.
Members of National Nurses United observe a moment of silence for nurses who have died from Covid-19 near the White House on May 7, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The largest nurses' union in the U.S. revealed Monday that the federal government's failure to track and report data on Covid-19 deaths has led to the deaths of at least 1,700 healthcare workers while leaving medical facilities with little incentive "to avoid becoming zones of infection."
In its report, "Sins of Omission: How Government Failures to Track Covid-19 Data Have Led to More Than 1,700 Healthcare Worker Deaths and Jeopardize Public Health," National Nurses United lists the names of at least 213 registered nurses who have died of complications from Covid-19.
\u201c"Unfortunately, instead of tracking and reporting #Covid19 data, federal and state governments have ignored, hidden, and manipulated Covid-19 data." \u2014 Jean Ross, RN, NNU President #ProtectNurses\n\nPress release \u27a1\ufe0f https://t.co/hG5s7TTJYd\u201d— NationalNursesUnited (@NationalNursesUnited) 1601299685
The nurses are among 1,718 healthcare workers who have died, including 448 who worked in hospital settings.
"Nurses know that we need detailed, consistent data to understand how and where the virus is spreading, who is most vulnerable to infection, and whether interventions are effective. Unfortunately, instead of tracking and reporting Covid-19 data, federal and state governments have ignored, hidden, and manipulated Covid-19 data." --Jean Ross, NNU
While the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) began requiring nursing homes to report Covid-19 fatality and infection rates in May, data collection for the hospital industry has been "woefully inadequate," NNU said. Only 15 states are currently reporting infection numbers for healthcare workers on a daily, semi-weekly, or weekly basis.
As NNU said in a press statement, the Trump administration has moved reporting on Covid-19 numbers from the purview of the CDC to the Health and Human Services Department, which "which has hired private companies under nondisclosure agreements, keeping the majority of the data collected hidden from public view."
"The politicizing of government agencies, such as the CDC, must stop," said NNU.
Jean Ross, a president of the organization and a registered nurse, said keeping track of healthcare workers' infections and deaths from Covid-19 at hospitals where patients are being treated "is crucial for the nation to effectively respond to this pandemic."
"Nurses know that we need detailed, consistent data to understand how and where the virus is spreading, who is most vulnerable to infection, and whether interventions are effective," said Ross. "We can use this information to learn how to prevent the spread of future pandemics. Unfortunately, instead of tracking and reporting Covid-19 data, federal and state governments have ignored, hidden, and manipulated Covid-19 data."
Part of the hospital industry's reluctance to acknowledge the extent to which Covid-19 has spread through its facilities is likely financial, NNU said. Hospitals have an "interest in putting up barriers to Covid-19-related workers' compensation for registered nurses and other health care workers in many states."
"To add insult to injury, a number of states, including California, have laws that grant presumptive eligibility for workers' compensation to some publics afety employees," the report reads. "These occupations, such as police officers and firefighters, have predominately male workforces. However, nurses and other health care workers in the predominately female healthcare workforce have not been granted such protections, even though, by the nature of their work, they suffer some of the highest risks of injury and illness of any profession."
To standardize reporting on infections and deaths between states and localities, NNU called in its report for public reporting of:
The deaths of more than 1,700 healthcare workers "were avoidable and unnecessary due to government and employer willful inaction," said Zenei Cortez, a president of NNU and registered nurse.
"Nurses and health care workers were forced to work without personal protective equipment they needed to do their job safely. It is immoral and unconscionable that they lost their lives," Cortez added. "Our state and federal governments must require hospitals and other healthcare employers to publicly report infection rates and deaths of their workers. We have the right to a safe workplace under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Information is a part of safety. But some employers are not telling nurses when they have been exposed or who has been infected. This is irresponsible and dangerous for nurses, health care workers, and patients."
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Our Summer Campaign is now underway, and there’s never been a more urgent time for Common Dreams to be as vigilant as possible. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
The largest nurses' union in the U.S. revealed Monday that the federal government's failure to track and report data on Covid-19 deaths has led to the deaths of at least 1,700 healthcare workers while leaving medical facilities with little incentive "to avoid becoming zones of infection."
In its report, "Sins of Omission: How Government Failures to Track Covid-19 Data Have Led to More Than 1,700 Healthcare Worker Deaths and Jeopardize Public Health," National Nurses United lists the names of at least 213 registered nurses who have died of complications from Covid-19.
\u201c"Unfortunately, instead of tracking and reporting #Covid19 data, federal and state governments have ignored, hidden, and manipulated Covid-19 data." \u2014 Jean Ross, RN, NNU President #ProtectNurses\n\nPress release \u27a1\ufe0f https://t.co/hG5s7TTJYd\u201d— NationalNursesUnited (@NationalNursesUnited) 1601299685
The nurses are among 1,718 healthcare workers who have died, including 448 who worked in hospital settings.
"Nurses know that we need detailed, consistent data to understand how and where the virus is spreading, who is most vulnerable to infection, and whether interventions are effective. Unfortunately, instead of tracking and reporting Covid-19 data, federal and state governments have ignored, hidden, and manipulated Covid-19 data." --Jean Ross, NNU
While the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) began requiring nursing homes to report Covid-19 fatality and infection rates in May, data collection for the hospital industry has been "woefully inadequate," NNU said. Only 15 states are currently reporting infection numbers for healthcare workers on a daily, semi-weekly, or weekly basis.
As NNU said in a press statement, the Trump administration has moved reporting on Covid-19 numbers from the purview of the CDC to the Health and Human Services Department, which "which has hired private companies under nondisclosure agreements, keeping the majority of the data collected hidden from public view."
"The politicizing of government agencies, such as the CDC, must stop," said NNU.
Jean Ross, a president of the organization and a registered nurse, said keeping track of healthcare workers' infections and deaths from Covid-19 at hospitals where patients are being treated "is crucial for the nation to effectively respond to this pandemic."
"Nurses know that we need detailed, consistent data to understand how and where the virus is spreading, who is most vulnerable to infection, and whether interventions are effective," said Ross. "We can use this information to learn how to prevent the spread of future pandemics. Unfortunately, instead of tracking and reporting Covid-19 data, federal and state governments have ignored, hidden, and manipulated Covid-19 data."
Part of the hospital industry's reluctance to acknowledge the extent to which Covid-19 has spread through its facilities is likely financial, NNU said. Hospitals have an "interest in putting up barriers to Covid-19-related workers' compensation for registered nurses and other health care workers in many states."
"To add insult to injury, a number of states, including California, have laws that grant presumptive eligibility for workers' compensation to some publics afety employees," the report reads. "These occupations, such as police officers and firefighters, have predominately male workforces. However, nurses and other health care workers in the predominately female healthcare workforce have not been granted such protections, even though, by the nature of their work, they suffer some of the highest risks of injury and illness of any profession."
To standardize reporting on infections and deaths between states and localities, NNU called in its report for public reporting of:
The deaths of more than 1,700 healthcare workers "were avoidable and unnecessary due to government and employer willful inaction," said Zenei Cortez, a president of NNU and registered nurse.
"Nurses and health care workers were forced to work without personal protective equipment they needed to do their job safely. It is immoral and unconscionable that they lost their lives," Cortez added. "Our state and federal governments must require hospitals and other healthcare employers to publicly report infection rates and deaths of their workers. We have the right to a safe workplace under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Information is a part of safety. But some employers are not telling nurses when they have been exposed or who has been infected. This is irresponsible and dangerous for nurses, health care workers, and patients."
The largest nurses' union in the U.S. revealed Monday that the federal government's failure to track and report data on Covid-19 deaths has led to the deaths of at least 1,700 healthcare workers while leaving medical facilities with little incentive "to avoid becoming zones of infection."
In its report, "Sins of Omission: How Government Failures to Track Covid-19 Data Have Led to More Than 1,700 Healthcare Worker Deaths and Jeopardize Public Health," National Nurses United lists the names of at least 213 registered nurses who have died of complications from Covid-19.
\u201c"Unfortunately, instead of tracking and reporting #Covid19 data, federal and state governments have ignored, hidden, and manipulated Covid-19 data." \u2014 Jean Ross, RN, NNU President #ProtectNurses\n\nPress release \u27a1\ufe0f https://t.co/hG5s7TTJYd\u201d— NationalNursesUnited (@NationalNursesUnited) 1601299685
The nurses are among 1,718 healthcare workers who have died, including 448 who worked in hospital settings.
"Nurses know that we need detailed, consistent data to understand how and where the virus is spreading, who is most vulnerable to infection, and whether interventions are effective. Unfortunately, instead of tracking and reporting Covid-19 data, federal and state governments have ignored, hidden, and manipulated Covid-19 data." --Jean Ross, NNU
While the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) began requiring nursing homes to report Covid-19 fatality and infection rates in May, data collection for the hospital industry has been "woefully inadequate," NNU said. Only 15 states are currently reporting infection numbers for healthcare workers on a daily, semi-weekly, or weekly basis.
As NNU said in a press statement, the Trump administration has moved reporting on Covid-19 numbers from the purview of the CDC to the Health and Human Services Department, which "which has hired private companies under nondisclosure agreements, keeping the majority of the data collected hidden from public view."
"The politicizing of government agencies, such as the CDC, must stop," said NNU.
Jean Ross, a president of the organization and a registered nurse, said keeping track of healthcare workers' infections and deaths from Covid-19 at hospitals where patients are being treated "is crucial for the nation to effectively respond to this pandemic."
"Nurses know that we need detailed, consistent data to understand how and where the virus is spreading, who is most vulnerable to infection, and whether interventions are effective," said Ross. "We can use this information to learn how to prevent the spread of future pandemics. Unfortunately, instead of tracking and reporting Covid-19 data, federal and state governments have ignored, hidden, and manipulated Covid-19 data."
Part of the hospital industry's reluctance to acknowledge the extent to which Covid-19 has spread through its facilities is likely financial, NNU said. Hospitals have an "interest in putting up barriers to Covid-19-related workers' compensation for registered nurses and other health care workers in many states."
"To add insult to injury, a number of states, including California, have laws that grant presumptive eligibility for workers' compensation to some publics afety employees," the report reads. "These occupations, such as police officers and firefighters, have predominately male workforces. However, nurses and other health care workers in the predominately female healthcare workforce have not been granted such protections, even though, by the nature of their work, they suffer some of the highest risks of injury and illness of any profession."
To standardize reporting on infections and deaths between states and localities, NNU called in its report for public reporting of:
The deaths of more than 1,700 healthcare workers "were avoidable and unnecessary due to government and employer willful inaction," said Zenei Cortez, a president of NNU and registered nurse.
"Nurses and health care workers were forced to work without personal protective equipment they needed to do their job safely. It is immoral and unconscionable that they lost their lives," Cortez added. "Our state and federal governments must require hospitals and other healthcare employers to publicly report infection rates and deaths of their workers. We have the right to a safe workplace under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Information is a part of safety. But some employers are not telling nurses when they have been exposed or who has been infected. This is irresponsible and dangerous for nurses, health care workers, and patients."