Ohio National Guard to assist Springfield hospital
Jan. 17—Members from the Ohio National Guard will be coming to Springfield Regional Medical Center this week to assist the area's hospital as coronavirus cases continue to rise.
Clark County Combined Health District health commissioner Charles Patterson said during the health district's weekly livestream that two teams — a medical team and a group for non-medical staff — will assist the medical center starting Monday as a part of Gov. Mike DeWine's order to deploy soldiers across the state to help with COVID-19 response.
A total of 1,272 new confirmed coronavirus cases have been reported to the Clark County Combined Health District over the last several days as cases continue to rise in the region.
Since the pandemic's start, 28,535 COVID-19 cases have been reported in Clark County, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
A total of 156 new hospitalizations also have been reported at Springfield Regional Medical Center over the past several days. Roughly 82% of COVID-19 patients hospitalized locally are unvaccinated, Patterson said.
The rise in cases and hospitalizations is creating further strain on employees of local medical centers and emergency services, as workers are picking up extra shifts to respond to the influx of patients, the health commissioner said. Some of these workers are also falling ill, too, and thus having to take off work.
"All of those folks, they're getting tired," Patterson said.
According to ODH, 49.3% of Clark County's population has completed its vaccine series. The health district distributed 476 first doses this week, Patterson said.
The federal government is working to send COVID-19 testing kits to households across the nation, and the state is rationing kits to give to health districts in the meantime. The health district has a "dwindling supply" of kits, Patterson said, and it will focus on symptomatic people who are seeking testing.
Patterson said that the health district's testing clinic is working five days per week, and it expects to run 125 tests per day in the coming weeks. People interested in being tested can contact the health district at 937-717-2436 to inquire about testing.
In addition, the Clark County Combined Health District COVID-19 Vaccination Center in Springfield is offering vaccinations and is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Those seeking a dose can call 937-717-2439 to schedule an appointment.
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By the Numbers:
49.3: Percentage of Clark County residents who have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series
28,535: Total number of coronavirus cases reported in Clark County
440: Total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Clark County
