Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has deployed more than 100 National Guardsmen to hospitals across the state to help with the rising number of COVID-19 cases.

On Wednesday, Gov. Kemp joined 95.5 WSB live to discuss the move. Kemp said that rather than re-open a temporary hospital at the Georgia World Congress Center, he is sending help directly to hospitals in need.

“The biggest issue we’re facing is our hospitals just need more staff,” Kemp told Atlanta’s Morning News host Scott Slade. “Those healthcare heroes are tired and exhausted.”

He added, “We feel like the quickest thing to do is get that staff to the hospitals versus putting up new beds at the World Congress Center.”

The members of the Georgia National Guard are being deployed to assist hospital staff as emergency rooms near capacity because of the virus.

“These guardsmen will assist our front-line health care workers as they provide quality medical care during the current increase in cases and hospitalizations, and I greatly appreciate General (Tom) Carden and his team for their willingness to answer the call again in our fight against COVID-19,” Kemp said.

He added, “This Georgia National Guard mission is in addition to the 2,800 state-supported staff and 450 new beds brought online I announced last week, at a total state investment of $625 million through December of this year. I continue to urge all Georgians to talk to a medical professional about getting vaccinated.”

As the delta variant continues to spread nationwide, Dr. John Delzell—commander of the COVID response at Northeast Georgia Medical Center—says that the aid is quite welcome.

Speaking to 95.5 WSB’s Sandra Parrish, Dr. Delzell says that the approximate 10 medically trained Georgia National Guard troops being sent to Northeast Georgia Medical Center will play a role in “helping with the patients that are in the emergency department, which is really full, or helping to transport patients.”

This is the second time troops have been deployed to aid the hospital.

Gov. Kemp’s spokesman Cody Hall tells Sandra Parrish that the troops being deployed are in addition to the 2,800 medical professionals being contracted by the state to help with COVID response at hospitals around the state, allowing an additional 450 beds to be made available.

“We will continue to monitor the situation just as we have for the past year and a half on exactly where they’re needed and how many are needed.” Hall said. “But right now, as we see an increase in hospitalizations and cases, we wanted to make sure that we had all hands-on deck in order to make sure that we deliver care to Georgians in need.”

A full list of which hospitals the Georgia National Guard are being deployed to may be found here:

• Southeast Georgia Health System, Brunswick
• Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Gainesville
• Wellstar Kennestone, Marietta
• Piedmont Henry, Stockbridge
• Phoebe Putney, Albany
• Memorial Health University Medical Center, Savannah
• Navicent Health, Macon
• Grady Hospital, Atlanta
• Piedmont Fayette, Fayetteville
• Houston Medical Center, Warner Robins

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