Coronavirus Leads State To Setting Up 'Surge' Medical Sites

MANCHESTER, NH — Gov. Chris Sununu toured the alternate care medical facility set up at the gymnasium at Southern New Hampshire University. In less than 72-hours the NH National Guard Joint Task Force, 197th Field Brigade, Manchester Health Department, AMR, Manchester Fire, Catholic Medical Center and Elliot Hospital set up 250 medical beds. The facility will be used if there is a “surge” which requires additional medical space. The Elliot Hospital and CMC will provide the personnel and patients will be transported to the facility from the two hospitals.

At the press conference it was described as a facility that will be used for patients who may be in their last 24 to 48 hour stay at the hospital. An example is for people who are being monitored for fluids, or receiving IV treatments. This facility would open beds and space in the regular hospitals which allow for more critical care.

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No COVID patients of any type would be treated at the alternate facility. Patients who are treated there would be discharged from the hospital from the SNHU location.

In Nashua 180 beds are being set up at Nashua High South by the National Guard, Nashua Health, Nashua Fire, and AMR. That operation will be jointly staffed by Southern NH Medical Center, and St Joseph Hospital staff.

The state in conjunction with local hospitals, health departments, and the National Guard will set up eight of these facilities across New Hampshire.