The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the world’s largest organisation of food and nutrition professionals, joined the World Health Organization (WHO) and other health care and professional organisations in advocating for sufficient personal protective equipment for the US frontline medical workforce.
As you are aware, dedicated and expert medical teams continue to care for and treat individuals and patients without adequate personal protective equipment. In doing so, these professionals are contracting COVID-19 and some have lost their lives.
As a nation, the US owes it to these workers to do everything possible to protect them and their patients from being infected and infecting others. Without this workforce, it cannot begin to adequately combat COVID-19.
The Academy shares concerns about ineffective alternatives and practices that the medical community has been forced to adopt during shortages, including having to re-wear masks, face guards and gowns that were designed for single use.
Registered dietitian nutritionists working in intensive care units provide nutrition support to patients on ventilators; they are among the growing list of professionals being exposed to COVID-19 as a result of PPE supply shortages.
The Academy respectfully urges the Trump administration to:
· Exercise its authority to redirect industry to engage in mass production of protective gear as recommended by WHO and allowed under the Robert T Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U S C §§ 5121-5207 (Stafford Act)v and President Trump’s March 18, 2020 Executive Order (DPA E.O.) finding that medical resources needed to respond to COVID-19 qualified as critical and strategic materials under the Defense Production Act of 1950 (the DPA), as amended
· Strengthen efforts to identify and recruit potential new PPE manufacturers by assisting FDA with proactive outreach
· Demonstrate leadership by developing a national tracking system of acquisition and distribution to ensure new and existing public, private and military/national guard resources are directed to geographical areas requiring critical and immediate COVID-19 response
· Continue to encourage the public to avoid purchasing or hoarding PPE when not medically indicated for the care or protection of those at risk
· Assist federal, state and local public health officials, including leaders in health care settings, with the interpretation and implementation of (a) CDC recommendations and strategies to optimizing PPE availability and (b) FDA mask and gown conservation strategies
· Collaborate with the US Department of Agriculture, the Administration for Community Living, states and local entities to protect employees and volunteers who are providing continued access to critical food security programmes such as school nutrition programmes and grab and go and home delivered meals for seniors
The Academy believes that reducing exposure through minimizing direct patient and public contact whenever possible is essential. It appreciates the flexibilities provided by HHS to allow expanded use of telehealth and the facilitate interstate practice. While these steps do not eliminate the need for those working in acute care, they will dramatically reduce the need for PPE for those serving in ambulatory care positions, thereby conserving critical supplies for those on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.