Date set for town hall addressing JBSA-Lackland quarantine zone

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) –  Joint Base San Antonio personnel and their families are invited to a town hall Wednesday evening concerning the coronavirus quarantine zone at JBSA-Lackland .

Some of the people being evacuated from China will be temporarily housed at the Gateway Inn and the Gateway Villa, but JBSA officials say they will not have access to any other installation locations.

Officials say representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “will discuss efforts to protect the health and welfare of our JBSA community during this operation.”

The forum is scheduled from 5 to 6 pm Wednesday at Lackland’s Gateway Club.

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg issued this statement Sunday:

“We were notified that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Defense have decided to evacuate American citizens from China and quarantine them at U. S. military installations, including Lackland Air Force Base. We have been told that these individuals have no symptoms of the coronavirus and pose no risk to our community.

“We should all be comforted by the extra precautions being taken by federal, state and local health officials.

“We do not currently have any individuals diagnosed with the coronavirus here in San Antonio, and our Metro Health Department will continue to monitor the situation and exercise an abundance of caution,” said Nirenberg.

Congressman Will Hurd issued the following statement.

“My focus is on the public health and safety of all Americans, which is why I have been in contact with the department and agency officials dealing with the American response to what the World Health Organization has deemed a ‘Public Health Emergency of International Concern.’ The Americans being returned from overseas travel in China will have been screened three times for coronavirus before disembarking at secured facilities at Lackland Air Force Base. These individuals will then undergo a 14-day quarantine to be closely monitored.

“The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are continually assessing the situation and at the time of the release of this statement CDC believes the immediate risk of coronavirus to the general public in the United States is low. However, they have strongly recommended that all Americans suspend travel to China, and if you have recently visited China and are exhibiting signs of the flu you should immediately seek medical care.”