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Sparrow Hospital In Lansing Becomes 6th Hospital In Michigan To Secure Federal Medical Team

(CBS DETROIT) - A federal medical team has been secured for Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, making it the sixth hospital in Michigan to receive staffing assistance.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced that the federal government will send up to 25 people with this medical team to help support doctors and nurses at Sparrow Hospital as they continue to treat patients with COVID-19.

"These federal medical teams are providing much-needed relief and a morale boost for our dedicated health care workers who have given so much over the past two years of the pandemic," said Elizabeth Hertel, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services director. "We are extremely grateful for the continued support from our federal partners during this latest surge of COVID-19. We are renewing the call for Michiganders to do their part to support our state's health care workers by getting vaccinated and boosted if eligible, wearing a mask in public indoor settings regardless of vaccination status, social distancing, and staying home and getting tested regularly."

The team will begin assisting staff at Sparrow Hospital on Feb. 7 and provide support for the next 30 days.

Five other federal medical teams have provided support at Beaumont Hospital – Dearborn, Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids, Covenant HealthCare in Saginaw, Mercy Health Muskegon, and Henry Ford Hospital in Wyandotte.

"We are grateful for this assistance for our incredible Sparrow caregivers, who have been tirelessly protecting the community since this pandemic began," said James F. Dover, Sparrow Health System president, and CEO. "We want to thank Governor Whitmer and the state for its help and especially Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin, who has been steadfast in advocating for boots-on-the-ground support for Sparrow in combating the huge surge of COVID cases among both patients and our caregivers."

Health officials reported that as of Jan. 21, 4,286 Michiganders are hospitalized for COVID-19.

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