PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY DECLARED AT PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, CO - Public Health Emergency Declared at PAFB / 23 March 2020, 1700L

CONFIRMED CASES OF COVID-19 AT PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, CO - Confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Peterson AFB / 23 March 2020, 1700L

CURRENTLY AT HPCON-CHARLIE

U.S. Northern Command continues to monitor the ongoing COVID 19 situation and encourages its personnel to adhere to CDC guidelines taking appropriate preventative measures and to stay informed utilizing command websites and social media updates.

As always, we continue to assess any potential impacts of COVID-19 on our training and operations in the homeland. 

We encourage all DOD personnel in impacted areas to monitor their command social media pages as well as the DOD, CDC and state and local websites for the latest info.

USNORTHCOM medical professionals are working daily with appropriate organizations to monitor the situation, coordinate the latest guidance from DOD and CDC, and distribute messaging to our personnel as it becomes available.

Command Family Members - NORAD and USNORTHCOM Headquarters are located on Peterson Air Force Base.  For more information about base services (to include Commissary, BX, Fitness Center Hours, etc...), please visit the Peterson Air Force Base Coronavirus public website at https://www.peterson.af.mil/Coronavirus/  

Peterson AFB established a testing point to limit spread of COVID-19 - Read the story here.

UPDATED CLOSURES AND INFORMATION FOR PAFB
Click here. 
 
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U.S. State Department Travel Advisory web page: 
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html

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PREVENTIVE MEASURE TIPS/GUIDELINES:
There are simple everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses:

• Avoid seasonal influenza by getting your annual influenza shot from your healthcare provider.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Stay home while you are sick.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds OR use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

LINKS:

Peterson Air Force Base - https://www.peterson.af.mil/Coronavirus/ 
Defense Department: https://www.defense.gov/Explore/Spotlight/Coronavirus/
U.S. Centers for Disease Control: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html
World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/emergen./diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
U.S. Embassy: https://www.usembassy.gov/
COVID-19 Government Site: https://www.coronavirus.gov
What the U.S. Government is Doing: https://www.usa.gov/coronavirus (Spanish: https://gobierno.usa.gov/coronavirus) 

The force health protection of our military members is a top priority, and we will continue to keep everyone informed as information becomes available.

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Similarities and Differences between COVID-19 and the Flu

Similarities

Symptoms:

• Both cause fever, cough, body aches, fatigue; sometimes vomiting and diarrhea.
• Can be mild or severe, even fatal in rare cases.
• Can result in pneumonia.

Transmission:

• Both can be spread from person to person through droplets in the air from an infected person coughing, sneezing or talking.
• A possible difference: COVID-19 might be spread through the airborne route (see details below under Differences).
• Flu can be spread by an infected person for several days before their symptoms appear, and COVID-19 is believed to be spread in the same manner, but we don’t yet know for sure.

Treatment:

• Neither virus is treatable with antibiotics, which only work on bacterial infections.
• Both may be treated by addressing symptoms, such as reducing fever. Severe cases may require hospitalization and support such as mechanical ventilation.

Prevention:

• Both may be prevented by frequent, thorough hand washing, coughing into the crook of your elbow, staying home when sick and limiting contact with people who are infected. 

Differences

Cause: 

• COVID-19: Caused by one virus, the novel 2019 coronavirus, now called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, or SARS-CoV-2.
• Flu: Caused by any of several different types and strains of influenza viruses.

Transmission:

• While both the flu and COVID-19 may be transmitted in similar ways (see the Similarities section above), there is also a possible difference: 
• COVID-19: might be spread through the airborne route, meaning that tiny droplets remaining in the air could cause disease in others even after the ill person is no longer near.

Antiviral Medications:

• COVID-19: Antiviral medications are currently being tested to see if they can address symptoms.
• Flu: Antiviral medications can address symptoms and sometimes shorten the duration of the illness.

Vaccine:

• COVID-19: No vaccine is available at this time, though it is in progress.
• Flu: A vaccine is available and effective to prevent some of the most dangerous types or to reduce the severity of the flu.