# Could we use (more) US military resources to respond to the pandemic?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-use-more-us-military-resources-to-respond-to-the-pandemic/850895>\
**Category:** The Quarantine Zone\
**Tags:** covid-quarantine\
**Created:** [April 2, 2020, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-use-more-us-military-resources-to-respond-to-the-pandemic/850895 "2020-04-02T16:52:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Chad\_Sudan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chad_sudan/32/4509_2.png) [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-use-more-us-military-resources-to-respond-to-the-pandemic/850895/1 "2020-04-02T16:52:28Z")

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In a pandemic crisis in which some project that _millions_ of Americans could die…

Is there some way that we could put to use the vast resources of the US military? (for example, to use non-essential military buildings for quarantining people, setting up new coronavirus hospitals, etc.)

(P.S. I guess this is already happening with the Navy’s Mercy hospital ship, sent to New York to help treat coronavirus patients. But could it be done on a much larger scalel?)

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-use-more-us-military-resources-to-respond-to-the-pandemic/850895/2 "2020-04-02T16:54:30Z")

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> [@Chad\_Sudan](#):
>
> In a pandemic crisis in which some project that _millions_ of Americans could die…
> 
> Is there some way that we could put to use the vast resources of the US military? (for example, to use non-essential military buildings for quarantining people, setting up new coronavirus hospitals, etc.)
> 
> (P.S. I guess this is already happening with the Navy’s Mercy hospital ship, sent to New York to help treat coronavirus patients. But could it be done on a much larger scalel?)

I thought the USS Mercy was for non-corona patients, to free up room in hospitals.

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**Author:** ![Chad\_Sudan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chad_sudan/32/4509_2.png) [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-use-more-us-military-resources-to-respond-to-the-pandemic/850895/3 "2020-04-02T16:57:58Z")

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> [@carnivorousplant](#):
>
> I thought the USS Mercy was for non-corona patients, to free up room in hospitals.

Yes, you’re right. I stand corrected.

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**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-use-more-us-military-resources-to-respond-to-the-pandemic/850895/4 "2020-04-02T17:37:00Z")

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It’s USNS Mercy (US Naval Ship) since hospital ships are non-commissioned.

The US Army Corps of Engineers is setting up and preparing to set up field hospitals all over the US.

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**Author:** ![PoppaSan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/poppasan/32/189_2.png) [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-use-more-us-military-resources-to-respond-to-the-pandemic/850895/5 "2020-04-02T17:50:29Z")

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> **[Coronavirus Surge: Nat'l. Guard Building Field Hospitals As CA Fastracks...](https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/coronavirus-surge-national-guard-builds-field-hospitals-as-california-recruits-army-of-medical-workers-to-battle-covid-19/)**
>
> Gov. Gavin Newsom has launched Health Corps to recruit and fastrack an army of frontline medical workers while the National Guard is building emergency field hospitals to prepare for a surge of coronavirus patients.

[https://www.njspotlight.com/2020/03/nj-outlines-field-hospital-plan-to-prepare-for-surge-of-covid-19-patients/](https://www.njspotlight.com/2020/03/nj-outlines-field-hospital-plan-to-prepare-for-surge-of-covid-19-patients/)  
[Plan Could Turn McCormick Place Into Field Hospital Amid COVID-19 Pandemic - CBS Chicago](https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2020/03/25/plan-could-turn-mccormick-place-into-field-hospital-amid-covid-19-pandemic/) \< already done  
[Temporary Hospitals Will Be Erected at Javits Center and 3 Other Sites in New York | 2020-03-23 | Architectural Record](https://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/14515-temporary-hospitals-will-be-erected-at-javits-center-and-3-other-sites-in-new-york) \<already done  
The new design: [Army Combat Support Hospitals Converting to New Modular Field Hospitals | Article | The United States Army](https://www.army.mil/article/190657/army_combat_support_hospitals_converting_to_new_modular_field_hospitals)

ETA: If I recall, most of the early citizens returned by the Feds were quarantined for two weeks at US military bases around the country.