Mid-Columbia Medical Center in The Dalles has been working on surge planning in recent weeks in case they get a rush of COVID-19 cases.  MCMC incident commander Don Wenzler says their newly opened immediate care facility at Water’s Edge gives them another location to see patients with non-COVID-like urgent conditions while keeping COVID patients in the hospital’s emergency department.  He says they have a number of waivers from the state to use areas in the MCMC building as overflow for patients if necessary.  Wenzler also points out they have tents near their main facility that are not currently in use, but they’ve done drills to be ready to screen people as they enter the building.  Wenzler says MCMC has looked at a couple of off-campus sites for alternative care options in preparation for a surge they hope never happens.