Travis AFB Selected To House Overseas Travelers Exposed To Coronavirus

FAIRFIELD (CBS13) — Travis Air Force Base is one of four military bases that has been hand-selected to house overseas travelers who may need to be quarantined due to the spread of the Coronavirus, the Pentagon announced Friday.

US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper approved four bases — Travis AFB; Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego; Lackland Air Force Base in Texas; and The 168th Regiment Regional Training Institute in Colorado — to provide housing for at least 250 individuals each through Feb. 29.

Travis AFB officials said on Twitter that base personnel will not have direct contact with evacuees and evacuees would not have access to any other base location than where they are assigned.

Still this has drawn concern from people who live on or near the base. Several people took to Travis' Facebook page with their questions and concerns. Others are just worried about the spread of Coronavirus in the United States.

"It is very scary and something we need to be aware of," said Virna Colaizzi. "Too close to home."

Though, some say they have no choice but to put their trust with the Department of Defense.

"We have one of the best bases around here with great people on it," said Brian Krauth, who lives near the base.

"I don't think they would do it if they can't handle it," he said. That became the general consensus among each person as CBS13 spoke with them about the news.

Base officials also said that the facility will only provide housing support and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), who asked the Pentagon to provide housing support, would be responsible for all evacuees care, security and transportation needs.

"In accordance with CDC guidelines, all evacuees will be monitored for a period of 14 days. Should routine monitoring of the evacuees identify ill individuals, HHS has procedures in place to transport them to a local civilian hospital," the Pentagon said in the statement.