From the Commander: COVID-19 update

  • Published
  • By Brig. Gen. Scott Cain

The 96th Medical Group received the results from the Florida Department of Health for the contractor assigned to the 96th Cyberspace Test Group, who was potentially exposed to COVID-19.  The individual was found to be negative for the COVID-19 virus.

The contractor, however, will remain at home until a close contact with a presumptive case of COVID-19 has tested negative as well.  If the contractor becomes ill with flu-like symptoms, additional testing will be conducted.

At this time there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Eglin.  Last week, we posted a number of prudent steps provided by the Centers for Disease Control, the state of Florida, and our military leadership we should all take to protect our health every day.  Those measures include:

- Don’t touch your face with unwashed hands.
- Cough in to your upper sleeve, not your hand.
- Wash your hands before putting anything into your mouth and after using the restroom (60% Alcohol or minimum 20 seconds with soap and water).
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.
- Avoid non-essential contact with sick people (i.e., fever of 100.4 F or higher, cough/sore throat, and/or shortness of breath).
- Stay at home when you’re sick and encourage team members to call or secure message their healthcare provider when they have questions.
- Don’t buy a simple mask. Masks are most effective when used on sick people (i.e. keeping the sickness from spreading), not healthy people.
- Finally, avoid all non-essential travel to China, Hong Kong, Iran, South Korea, Italy, and Japan.

Our military mission involves an inherent risk with frequent worldwide travel, so ensure you take all hygienic measures to mitigate the risks associated with COVID-19.  Follow proper protocols and reach out to your healthcare provider if you believe you’ve been exposed.

We will continue to update the entire Eglin workforce on issues related to COVID-19 through our website at www.eglin.af.mil, Facebook www.facebook.com/EglinAirForceBase,  and Twitter www.twitter.com/TeamEglin.

As always, the health and welfare of Team Eglin is at the forefront of our decision-making, and your efforts are essential to protecting our most valuable asset—our work force.