Newsom Calls on Retired Medical Workers, Students to Join Fight Against Coronavirus

On Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a statewide plan to recruit more medical professionals to address an expected surge in COVID-19 cases in California.

“Technicians, administrators, doctors, nurses, we are calling on you to step up and step in and meet this moment," Newsom said.

Newsom said the state has launched a new online platform called California Health Corps where health care professionals can sign up to provide assistance during the public health crisis.

It's estimated the effort could make an additional 37,000 professionals available to treat COVID-19 patients.

Newsom specifically called out those who have recently retired, people who are renewing their licenses, and medical and nursing students who are close to earning their degrees.

“We are very, very hopeful with this effort that we will see a surge of individuals, to be paid ... to participate in the workforce," he said.

The state is also looking for mental health experts, pharmacists and emergency medical technicians.

Newsom said that in the last four days the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in California has doubled and the number of intensive-care patients has tripled. The state, he says, has been working for weeks on plans to expand the capacity of the state's hospital system by two-thirds to handle the projected surge in cases.

An executive order the governor signed Monday provides temporary flexibility for staffing, scope of practice and professional licensing for some health care facilities and workers in order to expand the state's hospital capacity and workforce.

For more information or to sign up with California Health Corps, visit: Healthcorps.ca.gov.