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US Army Hard-Pressed to Build Temporary Hospitals Before COVID-19 Peak

Carla Babb

   PENTAGON - The head of theArmy Corps of Engineersis warning that his
   team is "beginning to run out of time" to build new temporary
   hospitalstoexpand capacity to combat the coronavirus across the
   country.

   Army Corps of Engineers Lt. Gen. ToddSemonitetold reporters
   Wednesdaythat the military needed to start construction of temporary
   hospital sites "probably in a week" in order to complete them ahead of
   when the number of coronavirus cases peak.

   The Army Corps of Engineers is converting 17 sites nationwide into
   hospitals, with a total of about 15,000 beds.More than 20 other
   facilities are pending, which could provide about 8,500 more bedsif
   completed.

   SemonitesaidthattheFederal Emergency Management Agency, as well as
   local and state governments, must eventuallydecidewhat to do with
   thetemporary hospitalsbuiltby the Army Corps of Engineers after the
   COVID-19 peaks have ended.

   TheU.S.militarycould either help break down thetemporary hospitalsor
   leave them uptopreparefor a potentialcoronavirusoutbreak recurrence in
   fall.

   "We're in this for the short game--this isthe ability to get through
   these curves in the next couple of weeks,"Semonitesaid. "We'vegot to
   sit downsometime in the middle of June and July and really figure
   out'¦what does America need with respect to excess facilities in the
   event of a pandemic virus?"

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