The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the ongoing shortage of health workers, leaving many health care facilities short-staffed even as the number of nationwide coronavirus cases plummets, experts say.

"Nurse shortages are a long-standing issue, but because of COVID, it is anticipated to grow even more by next year," Dr. Ernest Grant, president of the American Nurses Association, told ABC News. "Nurses and other health workers are overworked and they are exhausted from the pandemic."

Although nursing wages have in many cases improved in recent years, many nurses and nursing assistants have struggled with low pay, long hours and inadequate staffing -- issues that were highlighted during the pandemic, but not addressed, Grant said. As a result, hospitals and long-term care facilities are continuing to see older nurses retire and others simply leave their jobs, said Grant.

"Some nurses had to consider a career change or had to retire during COVID-19 to not be directly involved with COVID-19 patients, and others just left in the middle of the pandemic because it was too much for them," Grant said.