30 July 2020 | The Los Angeles Times reported on July 19 that military medical personnel had been sent to a number of California hospitals, including Adventist Health Lodi and Adventist Health-managed Dameron Hospital in the Stockton area.

The hospitals were experiencing severe personnel shortages as the state suffers a high coronavirus infection rate. California currently has almost half a million confirmed infections and over 9,000 have died from the virus.

The dispatched military personnel included active-duty U.S. Air Force doctors, nurses and other medical providers.

According to the LA Times, some officials say hospital staffing has been a bigger challenge than bed capacity in increasing treatment capacity for coronavirus patients.

Adventist Health Lodi Memorial was treating 39 COVID-19 patients, with six in intensive care when the help arrived. The hospital received a clinical team of 21 doctors, nurses and respiratory therapists. The military team would initially be in place for a month, although this time period could be extended.

California officials believe that transmission of the virus rose toward the end of May, due to people heading back to work, attending social gatherings and going shopping.

Adventist Health has hospitals, clinics, home care agencies, hospice agencies and joint-venture retirement centers in both rural and urban communities, serving more than 80 communities across the western United States and Hawaii. The healthcare system is affiliated with the Adventist Church.

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