COLUMBUS, Ohio — Members of the Ohio National Guard are winding down their service at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center this month.
A release from the hospital stated the Ohio National Guard will end their service at the hospital on Feb. 11, citing a decline of COVID -19 case numbers.
Late last year, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine called for the deployment of 2,300 Ohio National Guard members to assist hospitals statewide.
On top of staffing issues, state hospitals were seeing record-breaking hospitalization numbers due to the quick spread of the omicron variant.
Ohio National Guard members deployed at Wexner Medical Center played a role in helping with COVID-19 testing, assisting nursing units and offering transportation for patients.
Health officials said last week there is a light at the end of the pandemic tunnel as statewide COVID-19 hospitalizations dropped 25% over the course of more than two weeks.
Even with the drop in cases and hospitalization numbers, the Ohio National Guard continues to assist other hospitals across the state.