Former OSHA & CMS Officials Stress Vaccine Requirements Are Essential to Protect Workers, Patients, and Communities
Today, the Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments on cases challenging the vaccine and testing requirements from CMS and OSHA. Vaccines are the most effective tool available to fight this pandemic, and the law is clear that both of these rules are legal and the Supreme Court should allow them to go into effect so that more Americans are protected. In new Op-Eds , former Democratic and Republican senior CMS and OSHA officials argue these policies are essential to combatting the COVID-19 crisis, boosting the economy, and protecting millions of patients and workers.
Mark McClellan, former Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under President George W. Bush, and Andy Slavitt, former Acting Administrator of CMS under President Barack Obama, in The Washington Post: We Both Led Medicare and Medicaid. Biden’s Vaccine Mandate for Health-Care Workers Must Stand. [Washington Post, 1/7/22]
- “Given That The Coronavirus Transmits So Rapidly And That Vaccines Against It Have Proved To Be Safe And Effective In Reducing Transmission, A Vaccine Requirement Would Protect Patients.” “Given that the coronavirus transmits so rapidly and that vaccines against it have proved to be safe and effective in reducing transmission, a vaccine requirement would protect patients. It’s also important for reliable staffing, as infections continue to disrupt facilities’ operations during the omicron surge. For these reasons, most medical and public health organizations support the requirement.” [Washington Post, 1/7/22]
- “There Is Substantial Evidence That Vaccine Requirements Significantly Increase Vaccination Rates.” “While some workers have quit, and others might do the same because of CMS’s mandate, there is substantial evidence that vaccine requirements significantly increase vaccination rates — by at least 10 to 20 percentage points — especially when implemented with effective outreach and incentives. This has led to greater staff confidence in workplace safety and thus greater ability to provide critical health services safely.” [Washington Post, 1/7/22]
- “CMS Leaders Must Protect The Well-Being Of All The Beneficiaries The Agency Serves, Including Millions Of The Most High-Risk And Vulnerable Americans In The Pandemic.” “CMS leaders must protect the well-being of all the beneficiaries the agency serves, including millions of the most high-risk and vulnerable Americans in the pandemic. This is no time to undermine the ability of those leaders to carry out their critical responsibilities.” [Washington Post, 1/7/22]
David Michaels, Epidemiologist at the George Washington School Of Public Health and former Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Occupational Safety And Health Administration, in The Washington Post: The Supreme Court Has Strict Covid Rules. Will It Let OSHA Protect Other Workers? [Washington Post, 1/7/22]
- “Since The Start Of The Pandemic, Millions Of Workers Who Care For Our Sick And Elderly, And Who Ensure There Is Food On Our Tables And That Our Public Transportation Functions Have Been Sickened.” “Since the start of the pandemic, millions of workers who care for our sick and elderly, and who ensure there is food on our tables and that our public transportation functions, have been sickened. Many thousands died. Workplace coronavirus outbreaks are mostly no longer covered by the media, but they continue to occur with great frequency in workplaces across the country.” [Washington Post, 1/7/22]
- “2.5 Million Workers Have Left The Workforce Out Of Fear They Would Become Infected Or Spread The Virus.” “Covid-19 has dramatically reshaped the workplace and workforce, resulting in a labor shortage of epic proportions…Large numbers of workers have simply retired, hoping to survive on pensions and savings. The pandemic is keeping many other workers home, too: According to the Census Bureau, as of early December (before the omicron surge), 2.5 million workers have left the workforce out of fear they would become infected or spread the virus.” [Washington Post, 1/7/22]
- Vaccine Requirements “A Vital Step In Both Stemming The Pandemic And Convincing Millions Of People To Return To Work.” “The federal government needs to level the playing field by issuing enforceable worker safety rules for all employers. Only then will we stop workplace virus transmission, a vital step in both stemming the pandemic and convincing millions of people to return to work.” [Washington Post, 1/7/22]
Debbie Berkowitz, former Chief of Staff at OSHA, in The American Prospect: Can OSHA Keep Workers Safe? The Court Hears the Case Tomorrow. [The American Prospect, 1/6/22]
- “The Standard Will Save Workers’ Lives, Reduce Hospitalizations, And Keep Our Economy Going.” “Much hinges on this hearing on OSHA’s standard. COVID-19 is the worst occupational health crisis to emerge since OSHA’s creation in 1970. The standard will save workers’ lives, reduce hospitalizations, and keep our economy going.” [The American Prospect, 1/6/22]
- If The Supreme Court Rejects Vaccine Requirements, “It Will Sabotage A Half-Century-Old Agency Charged With Protecting Workers.” “We will soon see whether the Supreme Court accepts the Sixth Circuit’s compelling logic. Make no mistake: If it does not, it will sabotage a half-century-old agency charged with protecting workers. The law creating OSHA was passed in 1970 and signed by Richard Nixon. It gave OSHA the mission to ensure safety and healthful workplace conditions for working men and women, extending to them the right to a safe workplace—and to their employers an obligation to ensure that workers don’t have to sacrifice their lives and bodily health for a paycheck.” [The American Prospect, 1/6/22]