Pasadena Takes Down Temporary COVID-19 Field Hospital at Convention Center

An empty hall which was a coronavirus treatment alternate care facility that was in coordination with the Huntington Hospital has now closed at the Pasadena Convention Center on Tuesday, June 30, 2020. (Photo by James Carbone)

Workers break down the coronavirus treatment alternate care facility that was in coordination with the Huntington Hospital which has now closed at the Pasadena Convention Center on Tuesday, June 30, 2020. (Photo by James Carbone)

Individual rooms for patients that was part of the coronavirus treatment alternate care facility that was in coordination with the Huntington Hospital has now closed at the Pasadena Convention Center on Tuesday, June 30, 2020. (Photo by James Carbone)

Workers on Tuesday dismantled a 250-bed field hospital set up at the Pasadena Convention Center two months ago in anticipation of a potential influx of COVID-19 patients.

The MASH-style medical facility was put together in April to prepare for a potential worst-case-scenario that, fortunately, never materialized, according to city spokeswoman Lisa Derderian. It has not been used to treat any patients, as the local medical system has been able to keep up with demand.

The plan to disassemble the field hospital was put in place weeks ago, well before the recent spike in infections seen throughout the county and the state over the past week, Derderian said.

Pasadena health officials were concerned about the upward trend and encouraged residents to practice social distancing and wear masks to the greatest extent possible to stem further spread, she said.

But the number of patients in Pasadena remains manageable. Huntington Hospital was treating 54 COVID-19 patients on Tuesday.

The cost of the field hospital was estimated by city staff at $250,000 to get it going, then $180,000 for each additional month it remains open.