MAINE, Maine — Editor's note: This video originally aired Dec. 9.
The Maine National Guard will be deployed to 10 health care centers across the state on Thursday, Gov. Janet Mills announced Monday. This comes amid a surge in COVID cases across Maine.
The National Guard members will help relieve hospitals seeing challenges to their capacity, as well as to "maintain access to inpatient healthcare for Maine people amid a sustained surge of COVID," Mills said in a release.
Mills said the National Guard members are among several initiatives designed to help provide an estimated 80 additional impatient hospital beds for Mainers.
National Guard members will be used in non-clinical support roles such as supporting nursing facilities and administering monoclonal antibody treatments that prevent serious illness from COVID.
Fifteen members will be deployed to Saint Joseph's Manor in Portland; 12 to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston; and 11 divided among Stephens Memorial Hospital in Norway, Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington, St. Joseph Hospital in Bangor, Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, Northern Light Mercy Hospital in Portland, and Northern Light Inland Hospital in Waterville.
On Dec. 27, two additional National Guard members will be deployed to Rumford Hospital in Rumford and Bridgton Hospital in Bridgton.
Mills said she also submitted two new applications for federal monoclonal antibody teams that would include clinicians for Maine Medical Center in Portland and Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston.
For more information on the deployments, click here.
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