Fairchild's Health Protection Condition Level: ALPHA 

FAFB will transition to HPCON Alpha, effective immediately, due to the CDC Community level for Spokane and Eastern Washington decreasing to “low-level risk” and local case hospitalization rates steadily decreasing in the area. While in HPCON Alpha, occupancies of buildings are authorized up to 100% with telework as appropriate. Everyone should continue to monitor for symptoms, stay home if they feel ill and seek care for potential influenza-like illness.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency ended on May 11, 2023. However, COVID-19 continues to circulate globally, and will likely remain a leading cause of respiratory illness for the next several years. Utilizing mitigation strategies, such as vaccination, masking, and staying home when you are sick, will continue to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other seasonal respiratory illnesses in the future.

Masks are currently not required to be worn indoors. Per CDC guidance, individuals who have recently recovered from a respiratory illness, such as COVID-19, flu, or RSV, are recommended to wear a mask when around others for 5 days after returning to normal activities to lower the risk of spreading the illness to others. Individuals may consider wearing masks based on their personal health risks or concerns (e.g., immunocompromised individuals), or if they wish to reduce their risk of contracting or transmitting a respiratory virus.

Updated Return to Work Policy.  Stay home and away from others (including people you live with who are not sick) if you have respiratory virus symptoms that aren't better explained by another cause, and aren’t improving. These symptoms can include fever, chills, fatigue, cough, runny nose, and headache, among others.

You can go back to your normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, both are true:

• Your symptoms are getting better overall, and
• You have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication).

When you go back to your normal activities, take added precaution over the next 5 days, such as taking additional steps for cleaner air, hygiene, masks, physical distancing, and/or testing when you will be around other people indoors. Keep in mind that you may still be able to spread the virus that made you sick, even if you are feeling better. You are likely to be less contagious at this time, depending on factors like how long you were sick or how sick you were.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Preventing Spread of Respiratory Viruses When You're Sick

Universal masking is currently not required for staff and patients at the 92nd Medical Group. Masks covering the nose and mouth should be worn in the following instances to limit disease transmission except when otherwise exempt due to age (< 2 yo), safety, or health requirement:

• Patients experiencing any respiratory symptoms should wear a mask. Symptoms of an infectious respiratory disease may include fever, body aches, cough, runny nose, sore throat, vomiting, or diarrhea.
• Individual who have recently recovered from a respiratory infection are recommended to wear a mask for 5 days after resuming normal activities.
• Individuals may consider wearing masks based on their personal health risks or concerns (e.g., immunocompromised individuals), or if they wish to reduce their risk of contracting or transmitting a respiratory virus.