Gov. Tony Evers deploys National Guard. | tonyevers.com
Gov. Tony Evers deploys National Guard. | tonyevers.com
With the health care sector being overwhelmed by the omicron variant cases, Gov. Tony Evers takes an additional step in the form of deploying the National Guard to relieve the pressure on health care facilities.
"As #COVID19 cases and hospitalizations surge, I announced a new partnership with @MadisonCollege to provide CNA training to @WI_Guard members to help support our hospitals and health care systems and expand bed capacity across our state," Evers tweeted.
Wisconsin National Guard members will be trained as certified nursing assistants.
"Our health care providers are beyond exhausted. We simply do not have enough staff to care for all those who are ill," said Dr. Lisa Greenwood, Madison College's associate dean of nursing. "This historic partnership between Madison College and the National Guard is critical in providing Wisconsin communities and the health care industry the help they desperately need in the fight against COVID-19."
It would provide 200 or more beds by the end of February. Fifty Wisconsin National Guard members have already completed training and been sent to assist six different nursing homes. By the end of January, 80 more are supposed to have finished their training.
"As we continue to see COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations surge, we are pursuing every available option to bring needed staffing support to Wisconsin's health systems," Evers said in a statement.
The Wisconsin National Guard confirmed they have troops currently assisting at the following facilities:
- Wisconsin Dells Health Services – Wisconsin Dells
- Department of Veterans Affairs – Union Grove
- Department of Veterans Affairs – King
- Hillview Health Clinic – La Crosse
- The Bay at St. Ann – Milwaukee
- Mineral Point Health – Mineral Point
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