(KNSI) – The United States Air Force medical team assisting St. Cloud Hospital treating COVID-19 patients is leaving. CentraCare Health asked for and received 23 Joint Task Force Civil Support unit members in late November. CentraCare COVID-19 Incident Commander Dr. George Morris says the hospital was lucky to have the help when they did.
“I would almost view it as their timing was for us for two adults. And for our community life-saving. You know, they came in while we were, you could say, still experiencing the peak of Delta. They helped us kind of get through that. They helped us really get through these times when our staff has been in and out due to being sick.”
The unit was supposed to leave in late December, but their deployment in St. Cloud was extended due to the spread of COVID-19, primarily fueled by the omicron variant. Dr. Morris says despite omicron peaking in St. Cloud right now, the medical unit is needed elsewhere.
“Thank you for your service. Thank you for coming and helping in our region. We understand they have other missions to provide within their own health facilities. These are all people that are working doctors, working nurses, working respiratory therapists. They’re needed back at their own sites or potentially other places across the country.”
CentraCare is hoping the hospital can get some help on the nursing side from Minnesota. Dr. Morris says that once the community makes it through the omicron peak, they should be able to manage the case count and patient load.
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