SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse will get additional federal help in dealing with patients as the COVID-19 “winter surge” continues.
A U.S. Department of Defense military medical team (MMT) will arrive at Upstate “as early as Feb. 7,” the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Monday.
Disaster medical-assistance teams from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have previously helped in Upstate University Hospital’s emergency department through Jan. 26.
Strong Memorial Hospital (URMC) in Rochester will also benefit from an MMT, Hochul’s office said. The MMTs “will assist over stressed hospital staff and systems over the coming weeks,” the office added.
The new team is estimated to have 20 members, including physicians, nurses, respiratory technicians, and command staff. They will assist in offsetting patient capacity and will provide service for about 30 days.
In addition to the new teams set to arrive in Syracuse and Rochester, Hochul also announced a 30-day extension of the existing MMT deployment at Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo, which will now last through March 10.