The country’s largest nurses union is planning a demonstration outside of the White House to raise awareness for shortages of personal protective equipment.
The National Nurses Union said in a Monday press release that the protest is planned for Tuesday and will “call attention to the tens of thousands of health care workers nationwide who have become infected with COVID-19 due to lack of personal protective equipment.”
The union said that those in attendance will adhere to social distancing guidelines while reading aloud the names of nurses who have died during the coronavirus pandemic.
Nurses of the union, which has more than 150,000 members, are asking President Trump to use the Defense Production Act to force companies to produce more protective gear, such as N95 masks, gloves, and face shields.
“The U.S. Health and Human Services Department estimates the country will need 3.5 billion N95 respirators to be used throughout the pandemic,” the press release read. “NNU is calling on Congress to mandate the DPA’s use to produce the equipment and supplies health care workers need to care for COVID-19 patients as well as to conduct mass testing that is required to control the spread of the virus.”
It was not immediately clear how many union members are expected to attend the protest, which will be held in Lafayette Park near the White House. The Washington Examiner reached out to the National Nurses Union for this story.
