Over 9000 frontline nurses and other medical workers have been diagnosed with Covid-19 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And dozens have died.
We have a Presidential administration that is making states and the hospitals and medical centers in those states compete in a capitalist bidding war for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Instead of using the Defense Protection Act swiftly to have PPE produced the administration dragged its feet and only did so after massive demand from the American Hospital Association, American Medical Association and the American Nurses Association. Now there are critical shortages and many places are using “austerity” measures to ration masks and gowns.
Bonnie Castillo of National Nurses United said “Nurses are not afraid to care for our patients if we have the right protections but we’re not martyrs sacrificing our lives because our government and our employers didn’t do their jobs.” Instead of clapping I will stand with nurses by supporting their organizing, calls to action and demands. Solidarity with nurses!
A woman of color, a nurse, stands wearing a medical face mask, gloves, and a stethoscope around her neck in this blue and red graphic. Rays of duo-tones of blue radiate out from behind her. Text below states: “SOLIDARITY WITH NURSES ON THE FRONTLINE.”
