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NDMS & COVID-19 2020-2021

On the frontlines in the battle with COVID-19, you’ll find members of HHS/ASPR’s National Disaster Medical System (NDMS). From the beginning, they’ve been engaged on many levels of this fight to protect the health and lives of Americans, bringing resources, personnel, and expertise to support state, local, tribal and territorial needs.

Highlights of NDMS actions taken in through first quarter 2021 include:

 
 

March 2021

  • NDMS hits the 100,000 mark of doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered, many of them to underserved populations in support of local, state, tribal, and territorial efforts.
 
 

February 2021

  • NDMS team members continue to support COVID-19 vaccination sites around the US, including Chandler, AZ, Prescott, AZ, Las Vegas, NV, and Oakland, CA.
  • In locations around the US, including Las Vegas, NV and Tucson, AZ, NDMS team members continue to support local, regional and state healthcare organizations by administering monoclonal antibody infusions to help eligible patients (who have tested positive for COVID-19) to avoid hospitalization.
 
 

January 2021

  • NDMS hits the 500th patient mark for providing monoclonal antibody infusions.
 
 

December 2020

  • NDMS team members work with state and local healthcare organizations to administer monoclonal antibody therapeutics. This initiative includes, among other locations, the Imperial County Infusion Center in partnership with the El Centro Regional Medical Center in California.
  • In their ongoing support of hospitals provide patient support, NDMS team members are deployed across the country, including a rural hospital in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
  • As COVID-19 vaccines become available, NDMS teams deploy throughout the U.S. to help set up vaccination centers and administer vaccinations.
 
 

November 2020

  • NDMS responders support facility management and provide top-quality care to patients in some of the hardest hit hospitals in the country, including Wyoming and Wisconsin.
  • As COVID-19 cases surge, NDMS responders continue to support healthcare facilities, including a local hospital in El Paso, TX.
  • NDMS team members work with state and local healthcare organizations to administer monoclonal antibody therapeutics to help eligible patients (who have tested positive for COVID-19) avoid hospitalization. This initiative includes, among other locations, the Imperial County Infusion Center in partnership with the El Centro Regional Medical Center in California.
 
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October 2020

  • NDMS teams are deployed to The Hospitals of Providence Transmountain Campus in Texas, setting up pressurized containment units to protect patients, staff, and healthcare workers by preventing the spread of COVID-19.
 
 

September 2020

  • NDMS continues to support public healthcare needs following Hurricane Laura, including helping to decompress emergency rooms at Christus Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital in Lake Charles, LA and three area hospitals in Calcasieu Parish, LA.
 
 

August 2020

  • After Hurricane Laura leaves a path of destruction in Louisiana and Texas, NDMS responders are on the scene to help deal with the complicated combination of hurricane and COVID-19 medical needs.
  • As the wildfires burning across the state of California are declared a public emergency, NDMS responders coordinate closely with California health authorities, working around the clock to take actions that save lives.
  • NDMS team members continue to deploy to help hospitals with surges of COVID-19 patients, including Baton Rouge General.
 
 

July 2020

  • Working behind the scenes, NDMS team members support the U.S. Park Police with medical care for people and working animals during 4th of July celebrations.
 
 

May 2020

  • NDMS responders partner with the Chinle Comprehensive Health Facility and tribal officials to establish an alternate care site in Chinle, AZ to provide expanded capacity to enable healthcare providers to treat more #COVID19 patients and save more lives.
 
 

April 2020

  • As hospitals see a surge in patients testing positive for COVID-19, NDMS responders go to highly impacted areas to help overwhelmed healthcare systems, including a hospital in Albany, GA where 2,000+ patients tested positive.
  • To provide virtual planning and response assistance to NDMS regional emergency coordinators, at least two Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT) subject matter experts are activated for each of the 10 HHS regions around the country.
  • In one of the areas of the country hardest hit by COVID, the Navajo Nation, NDMS Responders worked at the Northern Navajo Medical Center to help slow the spread of the virus and protect healthcare workers.
  • NDMS team members help convert (and then staff) the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City into an alternate care facility for more than 2,000 non-COVID-19 patients.
  • More than 50 Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT) professionals deploy to New York City to help staff a Disaster Portable Morgue Unit (DPMU) in Brooklyn.
  • By early April, NDMS responders have deployed over 2,000 times since the beginning of the pandemic, supporting state, local, tribal, and territorial partners across the country.
 
 

March 2020

  • Following an outbreak of the coronavirus on the cruise ship Grand Princess, NDMS team members help set up a passenger quarantine and, along with other support, ensure patients continue to have access to medications.
 
 

February 2020

  • With support from the new Aeromedical Evacuation Team, NDMS helps evacuate 600+ from Wuhan, China, ready to provide medical care as required.
  • During the 14-day quarantine of Americans evacuated from Wuhan, NDMS team members serve day and night evaluating patients and providing behavioral health support.
 
 

January 2020

  • Following an outbreak of the coronavirus on the cruise ship Grand Princess docks in Japan. NDMS team members are the first international team on the ground supporting American passengers.
  • On January 31, 2020 the Health and Human Services Secretary declares a nationwide Public Health Emergency in response to the novel coronavirus outbreak.