As COVID-19 case counts rise amid the spread of the Delta variant, more than 50 medical professional societies and organizations are calling for all health care employers to require their employees to be vaccinated.
The groups representing millions of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other health workers issued a statement on Monday calling for the mandatory vaccinations.
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"We stand with the growing number of experts and institutions that support the requirement for universal vaccination of health workers," the statement, published in The Washington Post, reads. "The health and safety of U.S. workers, families, communities, and the nation depends on it."
The statement goes on to say, "This is the logical fulfillment of the ethical commitment of all health care workers to put patients as well as residents of long-term care facilities first and take all steps necessary to ensure their health and well-being."
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The statement is signed by the American Medical Association, the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Nursing Association, among dozens of other nationwide medical industry groups.
"Vaccination is the primary way to put the pandemic behind us and avoid the return of stringent public health measures," the statement continues. "We call for all health care and long-term care employers to require their employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19."
The groups say universal vaccination of health care workers for COVID-19 is no different than existing mandates for more well-understood illnesses, including the flu, hepatitis B and pertussis, also known as whooping cough.
California has already passed a statewide mandate for vaccinations among health care staff and state employees on Monday. Employees can also elect to get tested weekly rather than show proof of vaccination. The ruling is set to go into effect next Monday.
If implemented nationwide, the mandate would cover nearly 17 million health care workers.
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Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, vice provost for global initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania, who organized the statement, said employer vaccine mandates are effective and lifesaving.
"No patient should have to worry that they could become infected by one of their care providers, and no provider should put their patient at risk," Emanuel said in a statement.
Data from the Department of Health and Human Services shows that at the end of May, nearly one in four hospital workers who have direct contact with patients had not received a single dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The groups say this leaves patients -- especially unvaccinated children, the elderly and the immunocompromised -- facing a growing risk of infection as the Delta variant surges.
As of July 22, COVID-19 cases are on the rise in nearly 90% of the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with 35% of U.S. counties experiencing high levels of community transmission. Outbreaks are happening in parts of the country that have low vaccination coverage.
The CDC says an increase in cases and hospitalizations not only puts more strain on health care resources, but also creates more opportunities for the virus to mutate, which could lead to the emergence of new variants. Variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 are now responsible for all cases in the country, according to the CDC.
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