Air Force Crews Being Sent In To Help Central Valley Fight COVID-19 Surge

The San Joaquin region currently has the lowest ICU availability of all the California regions.

As health care officials and workers brace themselves for the surge after Christmas weekend, Air Force medical teams are flying into the Central Valley to help with staffing.

"Routine emergency care work is being slowed down," said California Governor Gavin Newsom in a news conference on Monday, December 28. "The impact of this virus is being felt on the entire hospital system."

Currently, the San Joaquin region remains at an ICU capacity of 0%.

Hospital hallways have had to be converted into patient care areas, according to ABC30. Paramedics often have to treat patients in their vans outside of the hospital until a bed becomes available.

Their units sometimes wait 2 to 3 hours, according to Edgar Escobedo with American Ambulance.

He also says EMTs have been placed inside the ER to help care for an overwhelming amount of patients.

"Our paramedics will turn those patients over to our EMTs internally who have beds in a hallway or another room," Escobedo told ABC30.

Alternative care sites have been placed across the Valley to help make space at hospitals. The CRMC building in Fresno currently has 20 patients and a Porterville location has about 10 patients.

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