Eight members of the Vermont Air National Guard have tested positive for Covid-19, causing the Guard to temporarily ground F-35 flights.
The first Guard member came down with the virus on Oct. 1, said Ben Truman, spokesperson for the Department of Health.
This week, “several hundred” Guard members were tested, resulting in more positive cases, said Col. David Shevchik, wing commander of the Guard. The close contacts of those who are affected are in quarantine.
The health department is conducting contact tracing to gauge the extent of the spread.
“We’re maximizing our testing and contract tracing to make sure we have it under control. We feel we do at this time,” Shevchik said.
The Guard halted F-35 flights for two days last week, and also reduced flights this week to prevent spread of the virus and to make sure members were available for testing and contact tracing, according to Shevchik. The full flight schedule is scheduled to resume next week.
The Air National Guard has 19 F-35s based in South Burlington.
The Guard has had a total of 11 Covid cases since March, Shevchik said. All eight people who tested positive have mild symptoms. None have been hospitalized.
He said the Guard has instituted “strict safety protocol” to reduce spread. “We continue to focus on people’s health and well-being,” he added.
