American Coronavirus Evacuees to be Housed at Texas Military Base

Reports identify that close to 1,000 American passengers flying from China to the U.S. will be screened for the coronavirus after arriving at Travis Air Force Base in California, and then sent to Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, where they will be under tight security. The announcement was made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) following the release of details surrounding the move of American evacuees from China to the U.S. Coronavirus evacuees arriving from China will be guarded by federal marshals and kept completely separate from residents and workers on the base here in Texas, according to officials. The CDC advised that no one found to be ill will set foot on the base.

Anyone showing signs of the coronavirus, including fever or any additional symptoms, will be transported directly to the hospital from Travis AFB in California. Subsequently, only healthy passengers will then be moved to Travis or Lackland AFBs, in addition to two other locations, where they’ll be observed by the CDC over a period of two weeks. The two-week window has been identified as the incubation period for the coronavirus, according to CDC spokeswoman Amy Rowland. “The accommodation (for the evacuees) is away from anyone else who would be on the base for those regular activities,” she told msn.com. “The federal marshals are there and they are going to be ensuring that passengers don’t leave the area that is designated for them to complete the 14-day quarantine period.”

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The first American evacuees from China to the U.S. were transported to the March Air Reserve Base in California. However, Dr. Nancy Messonnier, the director for the CDC’s National Center for Respiratory Diseases, identified that the State Department plans to extract more, making it necessary for alternate arrangements. Subsequently, added flights will go on to Travis. In the meantime, the CDC has sent specialist teams to March ARB as well as three other Defense Department installations where the American evacuees are to be quarantined. Regular temperature checks and respiratory observation will take place during the quarantine, which will last 14 days following their departure from Wuhan. The CDC has identified that it’s presently working with state officials to determine appropriate quarantine sites going forward.

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According to Dawn Emerick, Director of the Metropolitan Health District, San Antonio city officials are coordinating with federal representatives for medical transportation through local emergency services. This will be required should any evacuees need transfer to area hospitals. At present, the plans are “still evolving” for the proper handling of an evacuee who tests positive for the coronavirus, according to Emerick.