Nurses union warns of supply shortages as COVID-19 cases grow

One of the largest nurses unions in the U.S. warned July 7 that spikes in COVID-19 cases across the country are causing shortages of personal protective equipment similar to what was seen in the early days of the pandemic, The Hill reported. 

National Nurses United said that while overall access to supplies has improved since March, nonacademic and rural hospitals still face supply shortages. The news was first reported by The Associated Press

"We’re five months into this, and there are still shortages of gowns, hair covers, shoe covers, masks, N95 masks,” said Deborah Burger, president of National Nurses United, according to The Hill. "They’re being doled out, and we’re still being told to reuse them."

The health department in Dupage County in Illinois, sent a letter to Congress last week saying its hospitals have been forced to reuse PPE "in ways that were not originally intended and are probably less safe than the optimal use of PPE," The Hill reported. 

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