Robins Air Force Base is ready for coronavirus, leaders say

Robins Air Force Base leaders say they are prepared to handle the COVID-19 outbreak.

As of late Wednesday, no cases of coronavirus have been confirmed on base, said Col. Brian R. Moore, 78th Air Base Wing commander at Robins.

“Should we have a case on base, we would take steps to isolate and take care of that person and anybody who may have been exposed ... to take care of them and make sure they come back to fully operational,” Moore said.

Currently, 10 people on base are self-quarantined who have either traveled in high-risk countries with high numbers of COVID-19 or who have been exposed to someone who has come back from a high-risk country.

“We have the training, the plans, the resources to ensure the health and safety of Team Robins, and we’ll make sure that we get through this seamlessly,” said Col. Maureen A. Farrell, commander of the 78th Medical Group at Robins.

The comments came at a live stream of a virtual Town Hall meeting on COVID-19 aired on the RAFB Facebook page. Questions were submitted through Facebook and email.

The base exchange, commissary and child development center and youth center currently remain open.

However, if there is a confirmed COVID-19 case on base that is affiliated with the child development center or the youth center, both would be closed temporarily, Moore said.

Currently, the bowling alley is closed, food services are only offering take-out and the two-base gyms are on alternating schedules.

Base personnel were advised to wash their hands, use fist-bumps, practice social distancing and avoid larger gatherings.

The base supply chains are being impacted and base personnel were asked to purchase only what they need and leave the rest behind for others.

The pre-planned Town Hall meeting comes on the heels of the first confirmed positive coronavirus case in Houston County. Another meeting is expected in seven to 10 days.

There is also a coronavirus information page on the RAFB website.

This story was originally published March 18, 2020 at 2:08 PM.