The governors of California and New Jersey this week activated National Guard troops to assist with their COVID-19 response. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, said Guard members would be deploying to long-term care facilities such as nursing homes throughout the state because some of them are struggling to maintain adequate staffing. “This deployment will send members of our National Guard to long-term care facilities with staffing needs and will act to protect the health and safety of long-term-care residents while the Omicron variant surges throughout the nation,” Murphy said in a statement. In addition to helping test and screen staffers, residents, and visitors, the approximately 150 Guard members will help residents with daily activities and setting up meals. New Jersey has 513 long-term care facilities with active COVID-19 active outbreaks, according to state health officials. Over 5,600 residents have COVID-19 and over 8,600 staff members have the disease, which …