COLUMBUS, Ohio (ADAMS) – Officials in Ohio are warning of not just COVID but also the flu this season. It comes as soldiers with the Ohio National Guard are deploying to hospitals around the state to help with COVID-19 staffing issues.
Last week, Governor DeWine announced that over 1,000 National Guard personnel, including at least 150 highly trained medical professionals, would be sent to hospitals to help staff overwhelmed by the latest COVID-19 surge.
The Guard says most soldiers will help with patient transport, housekeeping, and food distribution. DeWine ordered the mobilization after Ohio reported more than 10,000 new cases for the first time since January, and hospitals began to suspend elective surgeries.
Meanwhile, health experts are warning that flu cases and hospitalizations are at levels in Ohio not normally seen until January or February.
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