Ohio National Guard at Mount Carmel East due to COVID surge

COLUMBUS, Ohio — About 70 Ohio National Guard were deployed to Mount Carmel East on Tuesday to assist hospital staff due to rising COVID-19 cases.

Guard members arrived at the hospital on Tuesday for orientation and training. They will begin working in non-clinical roles on Wednesday in patient transport, environmental services, patient safety attendants, stock management and nutrition services, according to a press release from Mount Carmel.

In addition, members of the National Guard and Mount Carmel staff will work together on possibly establishing a crisis surge unit that would provide additional capacity to care for patients in central Ohio, according to the press release.

“We’re grateful to Governor DeWine and the Ohio National Guard for their support,” said Lorraine Lutton, president and CEO of Mount Carmel Health System in a written statement on Tuesday. “With the threat of the omicron variant and its potential impact on central Ohio, collaborations like this will provide needed support to our frontline workers.”

Earlier this month, DeWine activated 1,050 National Guard members to support hospitals during the COVID-19 surge.

DeWine announced then the state was sending medical personnel to the hardest-hit regions — Cleveland, Canton, Akron, Wooster and surrounding areas, DeWine said.

“While the staff will be concentrated in the places where they’re most needed, the entire state will feel relief,” DeWine said during the announcement.

The governor also announced that the state is also working with a health care staffing agency to bring in nurses and medical personnel from out of state.

DeWine said 150 of the National Guard members are medical personnel including nurses and EMTs. He also activated 900 nonmedical personnel who will help with transport, food and other matters.