Governor Mike DeWine announced the Ohio National Guard is setting up COVID-19 testing sites to take the burden off hospitals in Ohio cities, but none in the Mahoning Valley.

21 News reached out to state health officials on why that is, given Mercy Health hospital in Youngstown said they are the busiest they've been in all of 2021.

The Ohio Hospital Association said it's up to local hospitals to request help for National Guard testing sites.

"If a hospital has that need and determines that that's something they want to do, make that request to us, and we'll work to get that hospital in contact with the National Guard to make those arrangements," John Palmer with the Ohio Hosptial Association said, "So Mercy Health Youngstown, we continue to reach out to them regularly. Right now, they don't have a need for guard support at their facility."

Mercy Health's Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. James Kraveic, said despite being as crowded as they are, Mercy Health has a handle on it.

Dr. Kravec said they will assess volume in the hospital and re-evaluate needs moving forward.

"We are organized. We have plans and we have our handle on things," he said, "That's really what we've been working on this for two years in preparation for the busiest day yet. We're proud that we're able to handle that."

Meanwhile, as obtaining COVID tests remains a challenge, Youngstown Mayor Tito Brown said he is not implementing the mandate for city workers that was supposed to go into effect January 4th, at least for now.

The mandate said if 75% of city employees are not vaccinated, there will be a bi-weekly testing requirement.

Brown said it's unfair to make this required without enough testing supply, given he promised workers the city would provide them the tests.

"I want to stay with my word," Brown said, "That was some of the conversations with the local unions...who's going to provide, who's going to pay the cost..."

He added he plans to put the mandate in place when more tests are available.

"It's a little irresponsible for me to try to make the city employees say 'You have to take a test,' and I don't have supply," he said. 

This comes as the city of Youngstown also hit a grim milestone of 200 COVID-19 related deaths.