by Rachel Dahl --
Fallon, Nv. -- Capt. Evan Morrison, Commanding Officer, NAS Fallon, flanked by his Executive officer, Cmdr. Marshall Chastain, and Lt. Joseph Ichull, who is the Alternate Public Health Emergency Officer at the Naval Branch Health Clinic on base, spoke via Facebook live, on Wednesday evening about the procedures in place at the base in the face of COVID-19.
“We’ve had a lot of operational changes in the last few weeks,” Morrison said, showing his cloth face covering. He explained the directive that came out over the weekend from the Secretary of Defense that everyone on base, or accessing the base, must wear a face mask. Morrison emphasized the importance of wearing the masks as “another tool in our chest to mitigate the risk of transmitting COVID-19.” Although the directive went into place on Monday, Morrison explained that as unfunded requirement masks must be personally provided, so he gave two days to comply with the order and began enforcing the directive on Wednesday morning.
Morrison explained that the base is open, but screening is required, and everyone should be doing their own self-assessment at home before they leave the house. Morrison keeps a copy of the self-assessment sheet with him to use as a passport as he travels around the base and suggested that all personnel do the same.
Chastain explained that NAS Fallon personnel are a part of the team that meets with the Fallon community every day. “The City and County are in constant contact and we are all updating constantly,” he said. “We are blessed to be in a geographically isolated area and so far, there are no positive cases and we are all doing everything we can to keep it there.”
According to Ichull, who answered questions with Morrison as they came in through the Facebook comments, the NAS Fallon clinic has enough test kits to test everyone who would meet the criteria to be tested. The decision to be tested is made by the patient and the health care provider. In order to be tested, a patient must meet specific criteria including experiencing flu like symptoms and have had some kind of exposure.
Morrison said that at this time retirees are able to use the pharmacy but must go through the screening process.
Zip Upham, public affairs officer at the base, who spoke by phone on Thursday, explained the process for COVID-19 testing at the base. He said that when a person is tested in the clinic on base, the test kit is sent to San Diego for processing and as soon as the results come back that information is shared with the community response team and county health officials. He said that early on testing was done at Banner Churchill Community Hospital.
Morrison answered a question regarding the precautions being taken if someone comes to the base from outside our area. Although there is a travel moratorium on military personnel, on a case by case basis, some personnel may be in the process of coming to Fallon as their Permanent Change of Station. Morrison said “If someone is PCSing they are required to quarantine.” Anyone who comes to Fallon from anywhere outside the NAS Fallon travel area, roughly a two-hour driving radius, they will be isolated for 14 days.
At this time, all MWR facilities remain closed and all food providers remain as take-out only. The Navy Exchange and Commissary are open on Tuesdays and Fridays to active duty and active and drill reservists and their dependents only, with the other days open to anyone with a valid ID. The captain encouraged everyone to continue observing the appropriate social distancing guidelines.
Mental health resources also continue to be provided and available, with the Chaplain set up to do face to face and virtual counseling as well as continuing virtual church services. Fleet and Family Services has been set up and is fully up and running to do all their counseling services online or by phone and the Navy-Marine Corp Relief Society is also providing services online or by phone.
Morrison reminded the community that as we approach the peek period of the virus which is expected around the third week of April, it will be more important than ever to follow the guidelines in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. “Once we hit that peak this is still not over and, on the backside, we need to maintain procedures that are in place,” he said. “We also want to remind our supervisors to continue to make sure they are checking on our people and make sure we’re taking care of them.”
“We will get through this with patience and discipline,” said Chastain, “keep looking out for each other and stay tuned in for information. He asked that personnel continue to check Facebook, as all the directives are posted there as well as on the website, and all directives have been sent to command officers and the officers in charge of tenant commands.
“We still have to maintain our Mission Essential Function and continue training for our national security,” said Morrison. “As we continue down this road, we will keep getting guidance and we need to be prepared for whatever our MEF will be. We live in a new norm. We have changed a lot of our behaviors across the country from social distancing to stay at home orders and it has been difficult, but this is the time we will see the resiliency we have trained for.
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