Association Between Home County COVID-19 Incidence Rates and Positive Tests During Basic Military Training
Abstract
The strategy of a 14-day restriction of movement at the home of origin of incoming trainees, prior to arrival at Lackland Air Force Base, was reasonably effective at reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission. However, risk associated with the level of disease transmission within the individuals home community was not entirely mitigated through this nonpharmacologic intervention. A more stringent 14-day quarantine, in which the individual is completely isolated from interaction with others, would have better mitigated the risk of importing COVID-19 into the training establishment. This study suggests incoming trainees continued to be exposed to COVID-19 in the 14 days prior to arrival, whether during their quarantine, or during their travel to Lackland. Non-pharmaceutical interventions remain important to interrupting disease transmission in a military recruit environment, even following a 14-day restriction of movement prior to arrival. A similar policy of voluntary, self-enforced quarantine prior to travel from a community with high communicable disease burden should, in theory, work in non-military settings but would be limited by variable compliance with these measures.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 2021
- Accession Number
- AD1145380
Entities
People
- Dianne N. Frankel
- Ernest P. Ebert
- John W. Kieffer
- Theresa M. Casey
Organizations
- 59th Medical Wing