“This morning, nurses stood in front of the White House alongside 88 pairs of shoes representing the 88 nurses who have died so far in the COVID-19 crisis,” the largest union of registered nurses in the US said on Thursday. “They honored those who have lost their lives and fought to protect nurses still working on the front lines of this pandemic”.
The organization urged the US Senate to support the COVID-19 relief package.
“This package could be finalized in a matter of days, so we don’t have much time to put pressure on these senators to protect nurses,” the statement said. “That’s why nurses are taking time out of their hectic schedule to stand outside of the White House right now and why we need you to make some time to email your senators today”.
Last Friday, thousands of nurses across the United States joined rallies to demand personal protection equipment and improvement of work conditions.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported in April that almost 9,300 healthcare providers have been infected by the coronavirus.