JACKSONVILLE, N.C. -- The nation is experiencing a consistent, measurable decrease in COVID-19 cases and the Marine Corps Air Station New River community is following that same trajectory. As a result, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Department of Defense have updated their policies for masking and screening/testing measures.
Effective Monday, March 7, at 8 a.m., MCIEAST-MCB Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River (MCAS New River) will transition to Health Protection Condition Bravo (HPCON B) and remove mask-wearing requirements in all indoor facilities with the following exceptions:
• Medical Facilities
• Dental Facilities
Personnel considered at high risk for severe illness are highly encouraged to continue mask-wearing protocols and personnel with symptoms or recovering from the virus are required to wear a mask. Anyone who chooses to wear a mask for their own personal health protection may continue to do so.
Installation and area commanders maintain the discretion to employ additional COVID-19 mitigation measures to meet operational requirements.
Aggressive mitigation measures should continue to be employed:
• Stay at home if you feel ill and seek testing.
• Frequently wash your hands and use hand sanitizer.
• Stay current with vaccination and booster protocols.
• Enforce isolation and quarantine/exposure guidance.
Personnel at all levels should remain diligent. In the weeks to come, new variants or the impacts of COVID-19 may necessitate the re-enactment of additional mitigation measures to include resumption of mask wearing indoors based upon CDC community transmission levels. As a community, we must remain agile to meet these challenges head on while completing our mission.