Governor Gavin Newsom today directed more than $42 million in emergency funding to expand California’s health care infrastructure and secure equipment and services to support California’s response to COVID-19.
Of this amount, $30 million will allow the state to lease Seton Medical Center in Daly City and St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles for a three-month basis. Seton Medical Center is currently operating and will expand capacity to provide care for up to 120 COVID-19 patients beginning as soon as next Wednesday. Verily will operate Seton Medical Center on the state’s behalf. St. Vincent Medical Center closed in January, but California is readying the facility to begin providing care for up to 366 COVID-19 patients as soon as possible.
This builds on California’s previous work, in partnership with local officials, to reopen Community Hospital in Long Beach for the specific purpose of accepting patients transferred from other hospitals in the area. The hospital will begin accepting transfer patients on Saturday and has a capacity of 158 beds.
“California is mobilizing every part of government to support our health care delivery system, its workers, and those among us who are most vulnerable to COVID-19,” said Governor Newsom.
California is focusing the aid to investments in strengthening our health care delivery system.
Newsom will direct $30 million to lease and operate both Seton Medical Center in Daly City and St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles facilities and to expand the state’s hospital capacity.
$1,420,000 will go to expand capacity of the state’s current public health lab in Richmond.
$8,647,000 to purchase new ventilators, as well as IV fusion pumps, and refurbish additional ventilators$2 million to contract with American Medical Response to provide patient transportation.
