SAN DIEGO, Calif. –
Employees with the Defense Logistics Agency Distribution San Diego are providing mission essential support to the ongoing national fight against COVID-19 by providing critical supplies to the USNS MERCY currently docked at the Port of Los Angeles. The ship and its medical crew were deployed to alleviate the load on the local healthcare system by taking onboard non-COVID-19 patients.
While personal protective equipment such as N95 respirators, surgical masks, and disposable gowns are critical in the fight against COVID-19, there are many other consumable supplies required for the USNS MERCY. Items such as binders, cups and paper towels along with parts such as gaskets, O-rings, valves and filters are just as essential to a ship at port as they are to a ship at sea. In addition, some of the medical supplies being loaded onboard include testing kits, fluid filters and dressings.
In a whole of government approach, DLA is working with U.S. Northern Command to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency which is leading the federal government’s response to COVID-19 efforts in the continental United States.