National Guard units will be deployed to a few long-term care facilities in Indiana to assist health care providers to slow the spread of COVID-19.
National Guardsmen will deploy Monday, November 2 at the direction of Governor Eric Holcomb, according to Brigadier General Dale Lyles, Adjutant General of the Indiana National Guard.
“The Indiana National Guard will mobilize teams of Guardsmen to 133 of the state’s hardest-hit facilities,” stated General Lyles. “Oversight and assistance will be provided by the Indiana Department of Health and National Guard medical professionals. The National Guard will then broaden its support to all of Indiana’s 534 long-term care facilities over the next three weeks.”
During Governor Holcomb’s press conference on Wednesday, General Lyles said these soldiers will be helping nursing home staff with infection control measures and monitoring, COVID-19 prevention checklists, data entry, registration for testing, staff and visitor screening and wellness checks.
General Lyles commented, “Indiana National Guard troops are well trained and ready to assist with keeping long-term care facility residents and staff members safe and protected during this health crisis.”
The Guardsmen are being trained this week by a company working with the Indiana Department of Health to teach infection control measures to reduce the transmission of COVID-19. All will be tested before deployment and on-duty. General Lyles said the deployment will be active through December 31.
