NEW YORK (WBEN) — The New York State Nurses Association has come out against relaxing mask mandates, days after the state adopted the CDC's new guidance lifting the requirement for fully vaccinated people.
The nurses group said it continues to strongly support a mandatory mask policy, particularly in places where social distancing is not possible and no one can tell who has been fully vaccinated.
"While everyone is eager to resume our pre-COVID lives, the New York State Nurses Association, representing over 42,000 registered nurses in the state of New York, has serious concerns about the health ramification of this change for both the public and workers," the NYSNA Board of Directors said in a statement. "The CDC's new guidance ignores the unfortunate politicization of masking and vaccinations in American society and seems to believe that everyone will be honest about whether or not they have been vaccinated. It is likely that many people who have not been vaccinated, or are not yet fully vaccinated, will remove their masks. "
It says wearing face coverings in public places appears to be an "effective, fair and socially responsible solution to curbs transmissions of airborne viruses."
"Voluntary mask policies may have yet unknown social and behavioral consequences related to the effectiveness of the measure," the group said.
NYSNA also blasted the CDC saying throughout the pandemic it has made decisions "that are not backed up by science nor adequately protective of workers and public health."
The nurses group said government must take action to protect those most vulnerable, including the elderly and people with underlying medical conditions.
It also worries that voluntary mask wearing will lead to insufficient compliance and possibly stigmatize those who wear masks, saying those wearing a mask are likely to be judged as belonging to the risk group.
"This crisis is far from over," the statement read. "If the CDC errs on the side of safety, there may be some unnecessary inconvenience. But when it errs in the opposite direction, the public's health, and many lives, may be lost."
