The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, which has been set up as a makeshift hospital site in partnership with the federal government, will be able to accept COVID-19 patients, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday.
President Trump confirmed he is granting the request New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo had made earlier on Thursday. The 2,500-bed emergency medical facility was originally intended to house non-coronavirus patients to free up space for COVID-19 patients in other hospitals.
“We’re going to be converting that to a COVID-19 hospital, and it’s going to be staffed by the military and by the federal government,” Mr. Trump said at the White House.
Mr. Trump said he is granting similar requests for sites in Louisiana and Dallas, Texas.
The president made a pitch for doctors, nurses, and first responders to help New York — echoing a recent call from Mr. Cuomo — and told them to check out the website nyc.gov/helpnow.
“They need help now — they need people to help them,” Mr. Trump said. “If you’re in an area that isn’t so affected and you’re a doctor, a nurse, a health care worker, please get to that website and we would really appreciate your help — New York City needs it.”
“Louisiana, by the way, needs it. Michigan needs it,” he said. “Whatever you can do - those are our very strong hot spots. They need help.”
Mr. Cuomo said he had made the Javits Center request Thursday morning.
“[T]he number of COVID positive patients has increased so dramatically that it would be beneficial to the state if Javits could accept COVID positive patients,” Mr. Cuomo said. “I thank the president for his cooperation in this pressing matter and his expeditious decision making.”
Mr. Cuomo has estimated that his state could need 110,000 hospital beds for COVID-19 patients, and the current capacity is roughly 53,000 beds.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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