Parson directs additional personnel, equipment to Springfield, Greene County to deal with COVID-19 outbreak

(From Gov. Mike Parson)

Governor Mike Parson today announced additional personnel and equipment are being directed to Springfield and Greene County to assist in the fight against COVID-19 and support the local health care system.

"Throughout this pandemic, we have worked with our local partners to provide support and resources as quickly as logistically possible, and that has not changed," Governor Parson said. 

"We are thankful for these medical professionals and the assistance they will provide in Southwest Missouri. We will continue to do all we can to support the Springfield area and surrounding communities as we experience this increase in COVID-19 spread."

On Friday July 23, ambulance strike teams are expected to arrive in the Springfield area and be available to assist local hospitals. The teams, consisting of 10 advanced life support ambulances, 20 medical personnel, two strike team leaders, and one logistics specialist, will support transports of COVID-19 patients. The Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) arranged for the ambulance strike teams to support the area through an Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) request. The State of Arkansas Division of Emergency Management is fulfilling the request. EMAC is a mutual aid agreement among states that allows for the sharing of critical resources when needed. The teams would stay in Missouri for up to two weeks. The state has already made a request to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide similar teams if needed.

Additionally, the Missouri Disaster Medical Assistance Team (MO DMAT-1) is now providing equipment and personnel and working with Jordan Valley Health Center and other health care facilities in the area to support a Monoclonal Antibody Centralized Infusion Center. The center is expected to begin receiving patients for therapy treatments on Friday, July 23. Monoclonal antibodies are proteins that can help your body fight off COVID-19 and reduce the risk of severe disease and hospitalization – if administered to high-risk patients soon after diagnosis.

The ambulance strike teams and monoclonal antibody infusion facility were part of a resource request made to the state of Missouri by Greene County on July 14.

On July 19, Greene County submitted to SEMA a request for a stand-alone Alternate Care Site. A hotel in Springfield was identified by Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management to be converted into a medical facility that could provide acute care or be utilized as a step-down unit for COVID-19 patients. SEMA has escalated the request to FEMA.