Under normal circumstances, the Jacob K. Javits Center would have hosted conventions such as the New York Auto Show this month. But instead, it’s been hosting patients in the fight against COVID-19.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), spearheaded the efforts to convert the convention center into a hospital, working with more than 15 government agencies—from the military to the facility’s carpenters. They deployed 1,000 beds within the first week, and the total quickly rose to 4,000 beds after that. And while the new field hospital was originally intended to treat non-coronavirus patients, freeing up existing hospital staff and equipment to take on the coronavirus itself, its mission quickly changed—and it turned to treat COVID-19 patients exclusively. Colonel Dennis Deeley leads a unified National Guard-led command post at the facility.
The Javits Center is ideally suited for use as a makeshift hospital. Typically used for large-scale conventions, it has 1.8 million square feet of exhibit space and a modular configuration with detachable wall partitions to accommodate large groups as easily as smaller spaces for caregivers. It also has connection points for plumbing and electricity every 10 feet—and the building can support the massive levels of electrical power a hospital needs to operate. Its loading docks also facilitate the easy movement of people and supplies in and out, under such a highly controlled environment.
The beds are…