FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - As more confirmed cases of COVID-19 pop up across the state, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and healthcare professionals are keeping a close eye on the number of available hospital beds.
A field hospital in Fort Lauderdale is expected to be ready for operation in a few days, but officials hope they will not have to use it.
They said the hospitals won’t be used unless absolutely necessary.
“The hospitalization rate is something that we’re following very closely,” said DeSantis. “We’re at about 18,131 available beds statewide.”
If those beds become full, temporary hospitals are being constructed to be used to treat the overflow of patients.
“One is in Broward County, which is actually being assembled as we speak and should be up and running in the next couple of days,” said Jared Moskowitz, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management in a Monday morning media conference.
7SkyForce HD hovered above the Broward field hospital where massive tents, generators and multiple trailers could be seen scattered around the property.
“We’re helping to operate those with over 300 nurses that we have on contracts, as well as our 300 medics in the National Guard,” said Moskowitz.
Moskowitz added that the state could ask nurses to come out of retirement and employ medical students, if needed.
The field hospitals will be able to accommodate hundreds of patients, but state officials said the goal is to try to operate solely in hospitals already up and running.
The state has already obtained an additional 3,000 hospital beds and has more than 300 nurses and physician assistants on standby.
As of Monday, none of the field hospitals are being used in Florida, but they’re ready should they be needed.
“We hope it doesn’t come to that,” said DeSantis. “We do have the capacity, but we gotta do our part to stop the spread of the virus so that we don’t end up overwhelming the healthcare system.”
Marlins Park is also being set up as the field hospital in Miami-Dade County. The National Guard will also be manning that site.
Officials said the beds are not just for patients with COVID-19 but any individual who needs medical attention.
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