The American Medical Association, American Nursing Association and dozens of other medical groups issued a joint statement in support of a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all healthcare workers.
"Due to the recent COVID-19 surge and the availability of safe and effective vaccines, our healthcare organizations and societies advocate that all healthcare and long-term care employers require their workers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine," the statement said.
"This is the logical fulfillment of the ethical commitment of all healthcare 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."
This comes as U.S. cases, fueled by the delta variant, first detected in India, are on the rise. The seven-day average for new cases as of July 25 was 51,939 — a 170 percent increase over 14 days, according to data from The New York Times.
About 25 percent of hospital workers who come into contact with patients had not been vaccinated by the end of May, according to a WebMD and Medscape Medical News analysis cited by The Washington Post. As of July 11, more than 38 percent of nursing home workers were not vaccinated, according to CMS data, the Post reports.
"As the health care community leads the way in requiring vaccines for our employees, we hope all other employers across the country will follow our lead and implement effective policies to encourage vaccination," the statement said. "The health and safety of U.S. workers, families, communities, and the nation depends on it."