U.S. Navy Issues COVID-19 Standing Guidance

24 May 2021

WASHINGTON - The Navy issued COVID-19 Standing Guidance in response to the coronavirus pandemic with NAVADMIN 099/21 May 24.

Laurei Fernandes, an American Red Cross volunteer registered nurse, prepares a syringe with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine during a vaccine distribution at Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka's (CFAY) Hawk's Nest.

YOKOSUKA, Japan (May 20, 2021) Laurei Fernandes, an American Red Cross volunteer registered nurse, prepares a syringe with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine during a vaccine distribution at Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka's (CFAY) Hawk's Nest. With Department of Defense authorization, CFAY began administering vaccines to Navy-sponsored Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) children 12 to 17 years old during the two-day distribution. For more than 75 years, CFAY has provided, maintained, and operated base facilities and services in support of the U.S. 7th Fleet's forward-deployed naval forces, tenant commands, and thousands of military and civilian personnel and their families. (U.S. Navy photo by Tetsuya Morita)

This guidance replaces the previously issued COVID-19 Standardized Operational Guidance (SOG) 4.0 and serves as standing guidance to the Fleet.

The latest iteration incorporates updated guidance for pre-deployment ROM-sequester, underway health protection measures (HPM) and port visits.

“With more than a year operating in the COVID environment, we have gained significant expertise in mitigating and preventing the spread of COVID-19,” said Vice Adm. Phil Sawyer, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans and Strategy. “Now with vaccines and CDC scientific data, we are able to relax many of the procedures we put in place and still provide for the health protection of the force.”

Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Dillon Dixon, from Cleburne, Texas, assigned to USS Gerald R. Ford’s (CVN 78) medical department, administers a COVID-19 vaccine.

Sailors originally from China and the Philippines recite the Oath of Allegiance aboard USS Mustin (DDG 89) during a United States Citizenship and Immigration Services naturalization ceremony.

Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Blake Faletti and Hospitalman Shelby Aparicio prepare their station as they await patients arrival to administer the Pfizer vaccine at the state-run, federally-supported COVID-19 Community Vaccination at Norfolk.

Sailors get nasal swabbed for COVID-19 testing aboard the expeditionary sea base USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB 4) in Rijeka, Croatia.

Hospital corpsman and healthcare workers from Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center prepare COVID 19 vaccinations for recruits in Pacific Fleet Drill Hall at Recruit Training Command.

A Navy officer wearing a face mask speaks to new Navy recruits wearing face masks and seated on bleachers.

Recruits wait to receive a voluntary COVID 19 vaccination in Pacific Fleet Drill Hall at Recruit Training Command (RTC).

Highlighted in the latest guidance, the pre-deployment ROM-sequester is no longer required for immunized individuals. Non-immunized individuals will still conduct a 14-day ROM-sequester with test-in and test-out prior to deployment to ensure they embark ships COVID-free. Based on unit size and immunization rate, Naval Component Commands (NCC) may authorize relaxation of some HPM underway in order to train and operate in a more realistic and unimpeded shipboard setting.

None of the more than 230,000 fully immunized Sailors and Marines have been hospitalized to date for COVID-19, highlighting the operational importance of widespread vaccination.

Commanding Officers may allow immunized individuals making port calls in overseas safe haven ports like Guam, Bahrain, Yokosuka, Rota or Sasebo to take advantage of base services. This includes gyms, laundry facilities, commissary access and other base amenities.

This guidance encourages commanding officers to continue to make every effort to educate their crews on the importance of vaccination and facilitate open discussions with medical professionals if there are questions.

Health protection measures like vaccination, face coverings, social distancing and staying home during periods of illness are the greatest influencers to prevent and isolate COVID-19.

The Navy continues to pursue full vaccination and apply best health protection measures both at work and at home. Vaccination significantly helps protect Sailors and their families from the risk of infection. According to Vice Adm. Phil Sawyer, “The science is pretty clear, vaccinations are key to best protecting our Sailors. The more Sailors that are vaccinated, the better for them, their families, the Navy and the Nation”

Fully immunized Sailors allow the Navy to provide increased mission assurance while remaining equipped to deploy forward and win every day in competition, conflict and crisis.

For the latest updates on Navy COVID guidance please visit: https://www.navy.mil/US-Navy-COVID-19-Updates/

NAVADMIN 099/ 21 can be found at: https://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/reference/messages/NAVADMINS/Pages/NAVADMIN-2021.aspx

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