There is a plan on who should be tested case by case. We are following the CDC recommendations. We do have testing available, especially to rule out the other, more common respiratory illnesses, like the flu. 

Yes, the virus can be transmitted both during the incubation period (incubation range 2-14 days per CDC) and while symptoms have been exhibited. Information is continually updating about the spread of the virus. Updates will be posted as new information is acquired.

This is not mandated nor clinically indicated as necessary at this time per CDC and local public health recommendations. Depending on one's personal situation, they can leave the area/fly home, but only at their preference.

Yes, face masks should be worn when out in public, within 6 feet of individuals, or upon entering facilities requiring the wear of a face mask. Face masks are used to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 to others if you have symptoms, or if you’re infected and don’t have symptoms. Currently, there is no CDC guidance on wearing gloves as a preventive measure. CDC guidance on how to properly wear a mask can be found under the “Protect Yourself” section of this webpage. As the virus that causes COVID-19 is spread by respiratory droplets, another way to prevent spread is by coughing or sneezing into your elbow. It is a community effort to prevent the spread of any respiratory disease. Only you can prevent infections. If you feel symptomatic, please first call the TRICARE nurse advice line at 1-800-874-2273 or the 78 MDG appointment line at 478-327-7850 prior to the visit. If you are normally seen by an off base provider, please first call the Georgia Department of Health at 1-866-PUB HLTH (1-866-782-4584) prior to your visit.

Not many more specifics, only to be cautious and try to limit exposure to sick individuals, much like you would do during any normal cold/flu season.

Children don't seem to get as affected by the virus as the elderly do. Every kid is different so it is difficult to say exactly what symptoms an asthmatic will get or how severe it might be. If a child with asthma or respiratory problems ever develops symptoms, then call the nurse advice line or your doctor.

The Nurse Advice Line or the Primary Care Manager should be called if you are concerned about symptoms. They will provide instructions based on screening.

It is much more likely to spread by someone who is actively sick (coughing, sneezing etc.) However, it can be spread by someone before they have any signs or symptoms, but this is not thought to be the primary way it is spreads.

We are always prepped and ready to respond to keep our community safe and healthy. As military public health professionals will follow what's called a 'disease containment plan'. Different protocols are in place depending on the type and severity of a disease.

The likelihood is LOW as long as personnel and families due their due diligence to self-quarantine or isolate themselves if symptomatic.  If personnel or families are having symptoms it is prudent that they contact their health care provider and Public Health (either 78 MDG Public Health or Georgia Department of Health – North Central Health District) for screening to have review of the situation which may warrant continued quarantine and isolation.

a) being within approximately 6 feet of a COVID-19 case for 15 minutes or more; close contact can occur while caring for, living with, visiting, or sharing a health care waiting area or room with a COVID-19 case
– or –
b) having direct contact with infectious secretions of a COVID-19 case (e.g., being coughed on).

No, 78 MDG Public Health will not release case information to include residential address to the public. To do so would be a violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), Public Law 104-191.  

No. Being tested means the patient met the criteria for testing and will be informed of their results by his/her healthcare provider.  

No, Public Health does not need to come to the building to assess cleaning and clear the building for operation. 

The below CDC link will provide you and your team the appropriate cleaning guidelines for facilities.https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/disinfecting-building-facility.html
Once an office area/building has been cleaned, facility manager(s) should inform PH that the area has been cleaned.

During an emergency, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, a type of administrative paid leave is authorized, called Weather and Safety Leave. During this health crisis, it’s important for individuals to check with their supervisor and/or chain of command regarding issues such as administrative leave.

A DoD Component may authorize Weather and Safety Leave to a civilian employee under the following circumstances:

• The employee is asymptomatic of COVID-19 and subject to movement restrictions (i.e. quarantine or isolation) under the direction of public health authorities.
• The employee is at higher risk to COVID-19 as identified by the CDC and not telework eligible. Please review the OMB memorandum, “Updated Guidance on Telework Flexibilities in Response to Coronavirus,” dated March 12, 2020, for more information about this scenario.
• Other circumstances when an employee is not able to safely travel to or perform work at an approved location.

Weather and Safety Leave is not an entitlement and must be approved by a supervisor.

Depending on the type of leave, a supervisor can deny or cancel leave to a civilian who is traveling outside the local commuting area based on mission requirements. A supervisor may not deny personal leave solely because an employee is traveling outside of the local commuting area or to a CDC-designated level 2 or 3 area.

No. Civilian employees may only take sick leave when they are ill or to care for a family member as prescribed under the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) sick leave regulations.

Leadership is currently examining duty hours across the installation with a focus on protecting the most vulnerable, high-risk individuals from COVID-19, while balancing the execution of the mission. 

Leadership is currently scrutinizing established duty hours across the installation with a focus on protecting the most vulnerable, high-risk individuals from COVID-19, while balancing the execution of the mission. 

Leadership is currently scrutinizing established duty hours across the installation with a focus on protecting the most vulnerable, high-risk individuals from COVID-19, while balancing the execution of the mission.  In order to minimize the spread of COVID-19 and adhere to Force Health Protection guidelines, leadership is sending high-risk Team Robins members home on Weather and Safety Leave. Weather and Safety Leave is paid leave permitted during emergencies. 

Health Protection Measures apply to all members of Team Robins. The current HPCON level and measures are listed under the Robins current situation at www.robins.af.mil/coronavirus. This page also has good guidance for how you take care of yourself at home in quarantine.  We’re a team at Robins and need to hold each other accountable for the Health Protection Conditions we have, which will allow all of us to accomplish the mission for our Nation.

There has not been any official guidance or direction regarding eliminating overtime. For the latest information on this subject during the pandemic, refer to the Master Labor Agreement and the Office of Personnel Management website at www.opm.gov.

Yes.  DoD Components may initiate a change in work schedule to allow its workforce to work shifts as a means to mitigate community transmission of COVID-19. In doing so, DoD Components should consult with their human resources office to evaluate entitlements to premium pay (e.g. night pay), scheduled and unscheduled overtime, and other compensation requirements. A change to shift work may also need to be adjusted in the Component’s time and attendance system. Additionally, a change in work schedules may require the DoD Components to bargain with its labor unions, if applicable.

Yes. A supervisor can order employees who are identified as emergency essential to the official worksite if the installation or office is generally closed. Normally, the supervisor should identify and inform the employees in advance that they occupy positions that have been identified as emergency essential and that they may need to return to the official worksite to carry out mission critical functions of the DoD Component.

Supervisors should identify whether the employee is telework-ready and offer the employee the option to telework. If the employee is not telework-ready because, for example, they cannot perform their duties at an alternate location, then the supervisor should consider utilizing Weather and Safety Leave (please review the section below on the appropriate use of Weather and Safety Leave), administrative leave, or other leave flexibilities (paid or unpaid) available.  DoD Components may also combine telework and various leave flexibilities when the employee may perform some of his or her duties at an alternate worksite.

Additionally, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memorandum, “Updated Guidance on Telework Flexibilities in Response to Coronavirus,” dated March 12, 2020, encourages supervisors to extend telework flexibilities broadly to accommodate state and local responses to the COVID-19 outbreak, particularly to those persons susceptible to COVID-19.

In rare cases, an employee may not have a telework agreement or wish not to telework. See Question 8 below for information on when an agency may order an employee to telework.

Additionally, Civilian personnel returning from locations identified by the CDC as Level 2 or 3 are strongly recommended to follow the procedures identified in DoD’s Force Health Protection Guidance (Supplement 4). Please see Question 2 under Travel: OCONUS below.  See also Question 10 from the DoD FAQ – Travel Restrictions.

Civilian personnel may telework even when a child or dependent requiring supervision is present at the alternative work site. DoD granted a temporary waiver of policy until December 31, 2020, to allow employees to telework in this situation, and encourages DoD Components to make similar adjustments to their policies. Where an employee is teleworking and providing care to a child or dependent during duty hours, the employees must account for this time using appropriate leave as approved by his or her supervisor. For example, an employee who feeds and supervises a young child multiple times during the day will need to take leave or, if on a flexible work schedule, adjust his or her hours.  The OMB memorandum noted above encourages supervisors to extend telework flexibilities more broadly to accommodate state and local responses to the outbreak, including, but not limited to, school closures.

DoD Components may also authorize alternative work schedules that allow employees to complete their tour of duty in less than 10 days if applicable. For example, a maxiflex schedule would allow an employee to meet his or her basic work requirement for a biweekly pay period on fewer than 10 days and vary the number of hours worked on a given workday. Note that changes to alternative work schedules is subject to collective bargaining.

Additional tools available to Components include advance annual leave, compensatory time, credit hours, and other leave flexibilities. Weather and safety leave would not be appropriate under these facts alone.

Situational Telework (TS) is the type of telework to be coded for Time and Attendance purposes.

Yes, under the following scenarios an agency may order an employee to telework whether or not the position is telework eligible or the employee voluntarily enters into a telework agreement:

• The agency includes in their COOP that employees are required to telework and the agency activates the COOP.
• A pandemic has been declared by the World Health Organization and the DoD Component issues an evacuation order to an alternative work site (e.g. home).

If the employee’s telework agreement does not include an option for the supervisor to direct the employee to telework, then the supervisor may only direct an employee to telework under the following situations:

• The agency includes in their COOP that employees are required to telework and the agency activates the COOP.
• A pandemic has been declared by the World Health Organization and the DoD Component issues an evacuation order to an alternative worksite (e.g. home).

DoD Components are strongly discouraged to allow such travel and limit travel when there is an urgent need (e.g., protection of life and property). DoD Components should also consider the latest guidance from the CDC and local health authorities when limiting travel to persons at higher risk to COVID-19.

DoD Components should review the CDC's website Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the U.S., and information published by their state and local public health authorities. The CDC website contains links embedded in the map of the U.S. to all state public health authorities.

Civilian personnel returning from locations identified by the CDC as Level 2 or 3 are strongly recommended to follow the procedures identified in DoD’s Force Health Protection Guidance (Supplement 4).  Employees should notify their supervisors or chain of command and seek medical advice if they get sick with fever, cough, or difficulty breathing. Supervisors should consider placing the employee on telework, and/or any appropriate leave flexibility. Please refer above to Question 2 under Telework.