Inslee calls out National Guard to help at overtaxed hospitals, testing sites

Gov. Jay Inslee on Thursday announced that members of the Washington National Guard will help staff hospitals and testing sites across the state, as the health care system struggles with surging COVID-19 caseloads.

Guard members will be sent to hospitals in Everett, Spokane, Wenatchee and Yakima to take over nonmedical tasks to help relieve crowded emergency rooms.

Others will be sent to hospitals in Olympia, Richland, Tacoma and Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center to set up testing locations outside the facilities. Federal testing sites are also being set up in King and Snohomish counties.

And, in an echo of the early months of the pandemic, Inslee ordered a four-week pause on nonemergency procedures at hospitals and encouraged retired health care workers to consider helping out.