The administration of Governor Janet Mills announced Tuesday it will be sending 169 additional National Guard members to help alleviate capacity strain at hospitals.

The administration also said Tuesday that the state’s request for two federal surge response teams to help at Maine’s hospitals was approved by FEMA.

The announcement comes as Maine continues to see unprecedented numbers of people hospitalized with COVID-19. On Tuesday, that number was 395, down from an all-time high of 403 reported on Monday.

The administration says the additional National Guard members will serve in non-clinical support roles, with the goal of opening up beds at places like nursing facilities that accept patients awaiting discharge from the hospital. 

202 National Guard members are already on orders to help with the state’s pandemic response.

“I wish we did not have to take this step, but the rise in hospitalizations – caused primarily by those who are not vaccinated – is stretching the capacity of our health care system thin, jeopardizing care for Maine people, and putting increased strain on our already exhausted health care workers,” said Governor Janet Mills.

The administration also says federal COVID-19 Surge Response Teams are being sent to MaineHealth in Portland and Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. They began arriving Monday and will remain through Jan. 27th.