Georgia World Congress Center to be transformed into temporary hospital

ATLANTA — The state of Georgia will build a 200-bed temporary hospital at the Georgia World Congress Center for COVID-19 patients, Gov. Brian Kemp announced Sunday.

The "alternate care facility" will treat mild to moderate illness patients who don't need to be on ventilators.

“Across Georgia, we have partnered with existing healthcare infrastructure to greatly expand our surge capacity, and now we have a dedicated team building out a temporary facility at the Georgia World Congress Center for potential COVID-19 patient surge,” Kemp said in a statement. “We are working around the clock to prepare for future needs and ensure the health and well-being of our state. I am truly honored to have Georgia’s best, brightest, and most dedicated public servants working on this critically important project.”

Construction on the facility will begin immediately. The first beds will be available next week, Kemp said.

Crews are planning to build individual patient rooms that look similar to office pods.

The Georgia National Guard, Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, Department of Community Health, Department of Public Health, and contractors are all working together to build out the GWCC.

Channel 2 Action News first reported that the GWCC could be turned into a hospital last month.

Georgia World Congress Center could be transformed into temporary hospital The massive facility is one of three sites across the state being considered.

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