CT Coronavirus: These Rumors Are All False, National Guard Says

CONNECTICUT — The Connecticut National Guard wants to ensure that residents know there are several rumors floating around the state and they're all false.

In a post on Facebook, the guard said, "There are some FALSE rumors floating around the internet so we want to be very clear...The Department of Homeland Security does not have the authority to mobilize the National Guard as described (in this list below)... Additionally, there is NO discussion of a nation-wide quarantine.

"When you see us working in our communities please know we are working hard on your behalf to distribute supplies and build additional medical capability to help the hospital system.
We are your neighbors and we live here too, we're all in this together and together we'll make it through."

These are the following rumors that are 100 percent false, according to the Connecticut National Guard:

"Homeland security is preparing to mobilize the national guard."

"Preparing to dispatch them across the US along with military."

"they will also call in 1st responders."

"they are preparing to announce a national 2 week quarantine for all citizens."

"All businesses closed."

"Everyone at home."

"They will announce this as soon as they have troops in place to help prevent looting and rioters."

"The president will order a two week mandatory quarantine for the nation."

"Stock up on whatever you need to make sure you have a two week supply of everything."

Here is what the CT National Guard has actually done:

Deployed two of Department of Public Health's mobile field hospitals at Saint Francis Hospital in Hartford and Danbury Hospital, with a third on the way at Middlesex Hospital in Middletown;

Provided climate-controlled tents to two VA hospitals in West Haven and Newington;

Used their Guardsmen that work for major logistics companies to begin managing a warehouse to receive and distribute essential supplies;

Distributed protective masks, gowns, and face shields to healthcare workers and first responders; and provided medical planners to work with the Department of Public Health to find ways to surge bed capacity and do predictive analysis on how many people the virus will affect.

This week they were scheduled to:

Deploy the Federal Medical Station with a capacity of 250 beds;

Convert large spaces at Southern Connecticut State University into medical surge capacity with approximately 300 beds; and deploy the third Department of Public Health mobile field hospital at Middlesex Hospital.