Doctors from across North Texas are answering the medical needs of Hurricane Harvey evacuees at local shelters.
On Monday, officials enacted the Dallas Medical Operations Center (DMOC), responsible for coordinating physician volunteers.
They'll support the operations of the Dallas County Health and Human Services Medical Reserve Corps, a group created to supplemental support to a variety of local public health initiatives such as school, civic, and faith-based sponsored health fairs, back-up support of immunization clinics and vaccination campaigns, epidemiology staff support during disease outbreaks, and community-wide public health education campaigns.
The Medical Reserve Corps has an active role in the city of Dallas mega shelter, opening no later than Tuesday at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Center.
Five-thousand Harvey evacuees are expected at the shelter during the week, and medical professionals have set up a full-service emergency room inside the shelter space.
In previous relief operations similar to the mega shelter, Dallas officials say they treated 600 to 1,000 patients a day.
"These are all doctors that have been here before to do this same job, so they're the most experienced people in the country doing this, and they have a great plan," said Kevin Odon, assistant emergency manager for the city of Dallas.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
Dallas County Health and Human Services will also monitor shelters for infectious disease.
Stomach or respiratory infection may more likely result from people having to stay in close quarters with large groups.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highly recommends people who are staying at shelters to be extra careful to wash their hands or to use an alcohol-based hand gel to try and prevent the spread of any disease.
