Governor Gavin Newsom has activated the California National Guard to support communities with additional COVID-19 testing facilities.
Over 200 members will be deployed to 50 testing sites, acting as interim clinical staff until permanent staff are hired.
Additional members of the Guard will be deployed next week.
“California has led the country’s fight against COVID-19, implementing first-in-the-nation public health measures that have helped save tens of thousands of lives,” said Governor Newsom, in a press release. “We continue to support communities in their response to COVID by bolstering testing capacity.”
The effort comes as Omicron continues to spread in the state. According to the Governor’s office, the variant accounts for at least 80% of COVID-19 cases.