Three Northeast states deploy National Guard amid medical capacity crisis due to pandemic
By Evan Simko-Bednarski and Amy Simonson, CNN
Updated 5:55 PM ET, Wed December 8, 2021
National Guard soldiers help people sign up for their vaccination appointments on February 24, 2021, in Jamaica, Queens.
(CNN)The governors of Maine and New York deployed the National Guard in response to dangerously low capacity at statewide medical facilities due to the pandemic.
The New York National Guard announced Wednesday that it had deployed 120 medics and medical technicians to a dozen long-term care facilities statewide. The deployment came at the behest of Gov. Kathy Hochul, who issued the order last week in response to staffing shortages.
Service members deployed to facilities in Syracuse, Rochester, Albany, Buffalo, Utica, Plattsburgh, Uniondale, Liberty, Vestal, Olean, Lyons and Goshen, the Guard said in a statement.
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Hochul has indicated that she may deploy the Guard to hospitals as well -- as of last week, some 50 hospitals in northern New York had less than 10% bed capacity in large part due to lack of staff.
In Maine, Gov. Janet Mills activated the National Guard following a spike in Covid-19 cases.
"I do not take this action lightly, but we must take steps to alleviate the strain on our health care system and ensure care for all those who need it," Mills said in a statement.
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