Face masks required for employees, visitors at JBSA facilities regardless of vaccination status

New health guidelines go into effect Friday

JBSA-Lackland (File)

SAN ANTONIO – As coronavirus cases and hospitalizations continue to surge in Bexar County, Joint Base San Antonio is now requiring masks to be worn at all of its indoor federal facilities, regardless of vaccination status.

JBSA announced the new mask guidance on social media and its website Thursday afternoon. The new guidelines will go into effect beginning Friday, July 30.

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⚠ Updated mask guidance for all DoD installations and other Facilities. 100% mask wear indoors, effective IMMEDIATELY....

Posted by Joint Base San Antonio on Thursday, July 29, 2021

As the Delta variant continues to spread throughout the state, the new mask guidance will help protect the community and help mitigate the spread of the virus, according to officials.

“All service members, federal employees, onsite contractor employees, and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, must wear a mask in indoor installations or other facilities that is owned, leased or otherwise controlled by the DoD,” JBSA officials said in a news release.

Building occupancy on base will also be reduced to 40%, and those who are not fully vaccinated will need to physically distance themselves from others per the CDC’s health guidelines, officials said in a release.

“Ideally, by taking increased measures now we can limit further spread of the virus and decrease our chances of having to move to higher HPCON levels,” JBSA said in a release. “...We all must do our part to implement public health recommendations, including continued physical distancing, wearing of face masks, practicing good hand washing protocols, and taking appropriate actions if feeling sick.”

For more information on the new health guidelines, visit JBSA’s website here.

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About the Author:

Cody King is a digital journalist for KSAT 12. She previously worked for WICS/WRSP 20 in Springfield, Illinois.