PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. –
U.S. Northern Command, the Department of Defense's lead for COVID-19 operations in the United States, is committed to working closely with the State of New York to ensure we evolve our medical support to best relieve pressure on the New York hospital system. Accordingly, the Department of Defense is adjusting its medical support efforts to better assist the people of New York by immediately directing the USNS Comfort (T-AH-20) to admit patients who have tested positive for COVID-19.
Effective immediately, USNS Comfort will accept trauma, emergency and urgent care patients without regard to their COVID-19 status. The Javits Center, now named the Javits New York Medical Station, continues to be DoD's primary facility for COVID-19 patients.
The Javits New York Medical Station and USNS Comfort together act as an integrated system working inside the larger New York City medical system. The ability to take COVID-19 patients on board USNS Comfort provides increased capability to care for high severity COVID-positive cases, allowing the Javits New York Medical Station to focus on lower severity COVID-positive patients.
U.S. Northern Command is leading DoD’s operations against COVID-19 in the United States.
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