44 military personnel going to Michigan to assist with COVID-19 spike

The Michigan state health department announced Wednesday that 44 military medical personnel are coming to the state to assist with a spike in COVID-19 cases. 

At the request of Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, 44 military nurses, doctors and respiratory therapists will be sent to the state for 30 days. 

The teams will assist staffing needs in Michigan hospitals including Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids and Beaumont Hospital, Dearborn.

“I’m grateful that the federal government has granted our request to provide much needed relief to the health care personnel who have remained on the frontlines of this pandemic,” Whitmer said in a statement. 

“Right now, our doctors and nurses are reporting the vast majority of their patients are unvaccinated or have not yet received a booster dose. We can all do our part to help reduce the strain on our hospital systems by getting vaccinated, making an appointment to get a booster dose, and continuing to take precautions to keep ourselves and loved ones safe,” she added. 

Michigan had almost 4,000 hospitalized on Nov. 22 from COVID-19 as the state grapples with the wave of infections.

Most of the hospitalizations and deaths from the virus in Michigan are among the unvaccinated. 

Michigan issued an advisory last week that said everyone above the age of 2 should wear masks at gatherings regardless of vaccination status due to the rise in infections. 

Multiple states in the U.S. are experiencing a spike in coronavirus cases, with the Pentagon also sending troops to Minnesota to support hospitals affected by COVID-19.