EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. — Stacks of cots and medical supplies were wheeled onto trucks, as the Pennsylvania National Guard worked to take down a field hospital on the campus of East Stroudsburg University.
Over the past two days, the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) worked to break down the hospital.
University officials said they have assisted the DOH and PEMA anyway they could.
"We at the university have just lent any kind of support they needed, we've given them the building and anything that they need on there end, mainly just some small logistical items," said Nate Black, who works at the university.
The opening of the field hospital took place on April 14.
It was put up to give Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono extra space in case the hospital became filled with COVID-19 patients.
If the hospital became too crowded and the person didn't have the coronavirus, they would be sent to the field house to receive treatment.
While they never had to see a patient at the field house, university officials said being able to pack up this trailer is progress.
"It is a step in the right direction. I'm looking at the counts Pennsylvania-wide and also in our region and in our local counties, it has been, numbers are looking good. I just hope it stays in that direction," said Black.
PEMA released the following statement:
"Thankfully, hospitalizations in the region did not reach a level that exceeded the capability of the healthcare systems to effectively care for COVID patients, so we collaboratively made the decision to shut down the ACS at ESU."