January 17, 2022 10:30 a.m. 

As the rise of the Omicron variant continues to threaten the safety of the nation’s health care workforce, Senator Ron Wyden has joined colleagues in a letter calling on the Biden administration to continue and make permanent the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s emergency COVID-19 protections for health care workers in Oregon and nationwide.

Wyden and the lawmakers urged OHSA to move forward “…with a permanent, enforceable standard that would require employers to protect workers in health care settings and to keep emergency protections in place until a permanent standard is issued, which should be accomplished as expeditiously as possible”.

A release said the letter addressed OHSA’s announcement at the end of 2021 that it would allow the Emergency Temporary Standard to lapse, despite the fact that health care workers still face serious safety challenges and workplace risks.

Lawmakers said without a permanent rule, the health and well-being of the nation’s health care workers is at risk.