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DOD To Send Medical Assistance Team To Two San Joaquin County Hospitals On Tuesday

LODI (CBS13) - As ICU capacities remain depleted, the U.S. Department of Defense is sending another round of medical personnel to two San Joaquin County hospitals three weeks after the region enforced the new stay-home-home due to the pandemic.

Adventist Health Lodi Memorial is one of the two hospitals where the Department of Defense is sending nearly 39 medical assistance team members – including physicians, respiratory therapists, nurses, and more – on Tuesday, Dec. 29. Another 39 members will be sent to Dameron Hospital in Stockton.

"We definitely need the help. Something has to be done," Carlyne Thornsberry, who lives near Lodi Memorial, said.

"If they're going to step up and help us, I'm all for it."

In July, the Department of Defense sent a previous team to Lodi Memorial.

San Joaquin County's Emergency Medical Services told CBS13 this latest team will be sent to Lodi and Stockton to expand the ICU capacity for the San Joaquin Valley region.

"I think it's going to bring the necessary beds to help everybody," Barbara Kronlund said.

The San Joaquin County's EMS said that it worked with the state on how to expand that capacity with the concern of having enough space for more beds at a given facility.

Lodi Memorial and Dameron Hospital were the two facilities that had enough space to expand so they needed additional staffing to do.

"Having more capacity obviously is going to help more people," Valentin Manzo said.

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"I'm very happy that they're coming because we might have another surge after the holiday," June Young said.

This comes at a time where the valley was hoping to get the ICU capacity number up to 15 percent and be out of the stay-at-home order on Monday.

The number is still at zero and the fatigue of being stuck in the stay-at-home order is starting to hit hard for some.

"It's very frustrating, you know? You drive around you want to go out to eat. You want to go shopping. You want to not to stand in lines. You want things to be better. So, I hope it works," Sherry Pardoel, who lives near Lodi Memorial, said.

"I think we're all getting fatigued from this. So, hopefully, bringing in more medical, more beds is going change that and open up the community quicker," Kronlund said.

Adventist Health told CBS13 that they're welcoming these additional resources to help treat people who have COVID-19 at the hospital.

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