MPR News PM Update

Feb. 1, 2022

A third military medical team is poised to start work at a Minnesota hospital to help with a surge of patients from the latest wave of COVID-19.  

The team comprises nearly two dozen doctors, nurses, pharmacy technicians and commanding officers. They will start filling shifts at the Minneapolis medical center Wednesday, after arriving at Abbott Northwestern Hospital last week.

Carol Koeppel-Olsen, Abbott’s chief nurse, says staff there are currently caring for more than 90 COVID patients.

"Who’d have thought two and a half years ago that we’d have the Army here in Minneapolis at Abbott Northwestern helping us care for a pandemic. I mean it is just unheard of."

The team will be at Abbott Northwestern for a month, possibly two. An Army medical team previously worked at Hennepin County Medical Center, and an Air Force team recently wrapped up a support mission in St. Cloud.  

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