MARIETTA, Ga. — A metro Atlanta military base could potentially take in passengers who need to be quarantined because of the new coronavirus.
According to a U.S. Department of Defense news release, Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper is expected to support a request from the Department of Health and Human Services to identify military installations near 11 major airports that could house additional passengers, should Health and Human Services (HHS) facilities become filled.
Since Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International is the world's busiest airport, it comes as no surprise that one of the locations is in metro Atlanta.
Dobbins Air Reserve Base, which is in Marietta, is on the list.
The locations would be third in line. The Department of Defense said HHS already has primary and secondary locations identified, which aren't DOD facilities.
Here's the list of the 11 locations:
- JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI (HNL)
- Great Lakes Training Center Navy Base, IL (ORD)
- Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base, TX (DFW)
- March ARB, CA (LAX)
- Travis AFB, CA (SFO)
- Dobbins ARB, GA (ATL)
- Fort Hamilton, NY (JFK)
- Naval Base Kitsap, WA (SEA)
- Joint Base Anacostia, DC (IAD)
- Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ (EWR)
- Fort Custer Training Center (DTW)
As with prior coronavirus requests for assistance, HHS would be responsible for all care, transportation, and security of the evacuees. DOD support at each location will be limited to providing housing support for up to 20 people as they undergo a period of quarantined observation.
Thousands have been sickened by the illness with the death toll continuing to rise into the hundreds. The majority of the cases are in China.
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