Trump Approves New York’s Request to Treat COVID-19 Patients on the USNS Comfort

USNS Comfort Begins Treatments of Coronavirus Patients on Trump’s Approval.

The world is currently in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak that the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic.
However, the United States, among all other countries, has the highest case of coronavirus, with over 500,000 confirmed cases.

New York is reported to have the highest case in the US, with over 130,000 cases and more than 4,000 deaths, according to the New York Times database, making it a difficult period in New York and hence, bringing a total lockdown in the state.

However, the US Navy hospital ship Comfort was deployed to New York last month to relieve the burden on other health care issues as they were occupied, treating patients with COVID-19, on orders from the President of the United States.

The 1000-bed ship docked off at the coast of Manhattan in New York has only been treating 20 patients under strict guidelines, the New York Times reported, and that’s about 2% of the ship’s capacity.

The high rising cases of COVID-19 in New York and limited spaces in treating affected patients, prompted New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo earlier this Monday to place a call across to the US President. He requested an order to begin the treatment of coronavirus patients on the USNS Comfort.

Donald Trump, during a briefing on Monday afternoon, said he granted Andrew Cuomo’s request, having received his call a little while ago to treat coronavirus patients on the USNS Comfort, docked off at Manhattan concerning the fight against the virus.

The President added that the ship is set for COVID-19 treatment, and he also confirmed that the Comfort has been allowed to treat New Jersey patients also.

Initially, the USNS was deployed to treat non-coronavirus patients to ease other health-related pressure on the New York hospital. The order changed, as New York city’s hospitals have been filled with coronavirus cases and are battling to respond to patients streaming in.

Before Trump’s approval this Monday — Joint Staff Surgeon Air Force Brig. Gen. Paul Friedrichs, the top medical doctor for the military, said the United States Navy Ship Comfort had started treating coronavirus patients, claiming, “Our commitment has been to take care of any patient if they come to us.”

The USNS Comfort here is a very, very important thing for New York in terms of the number of patients served, but also an extraordinary morale boost when we needed it,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told CNN Friday.