NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine announced Monday that a NASA employee in California has tested positive for the coronavirus. Bridenstine also announced plans to use telework to limit exposure if the virus becomes more of a threat.

“On Sunday, March 8, we received confirmation an employee at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19),” Bridenstine said in a statement. “We believe the exposure at the center has been limited, but — out of an abundance of caution, and in consultation with Ames’ Center Director Eugene Tu, NASA Chief Heath and Medical Officer Dr. J.D. Polk, and in accordance to agency response plans — Ames Research Center is temporarily on mandatory telework status with restricted access to the center until further notice.”

“Limiting personnel at the center will allow Ames medical personnel and public health officials to determine potential contacts and assess areas that may require additional cleaning and mitigate potential exposure to center personnel,” Bridenstine continued. “Working with county officials, Ames leadership and medical personnel are working to trace the contacts of the employee and notifying individuals who may have had significant contact with that person.”

“Access to Ames is restricted to essential personnel only as required to safeguard life, property, and critical mission functions approved at the level of the associate center director,” Bridenstine continued.

“More guidance will follow for those who do not have equipment to work from home or who work in labs or other facilities requiring similar technical equipment that are fixed assets. In addition, due to the current uncertainty about the coronavirus situation in the United States and its potential impact on travel during the next few weeks, three NASA Earth Science airborne science campaigns slated to deploy across the country this spring have rescheduled their field activity until later in the year. The campaigns are DeltaX, Dynamics and Chemistry of the Summer Stratosphere (DCOTTS), and Sub-Mesoscale Ocean Dynamics Experiment (S-MODE), which would include flights from Ames. The scientific returns of these projects are not expected to be impacted by this change of plans.”

“Last Friday’s agencywide voluntary telework exercise was a good test of NASA’s large-scale preparedness with no reported issues to the overall IT system,” Bridenstine said. “I’ve asked all NASA employees to continue to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the agency’s Chief Health and Medical Officer, and if they have questions, don’t hesitate to talk with their supervisor.”

“You’ve heard the agency’s leadership say the protection and care of our NASA team is the top priority and critical to the success of the agency’s mission, and it’s true,” Bridenstine concluded.

As the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation evolves, we’ll continue to closely monitor and coordinate with federal, state, and community officials to take any further appropriate steps to help safeguard the NASA family.”

NASA is a large employer in Huntsville’s Marshall Space Flight Center. 729 people in 36 states have been diagnosed with the COVID-19 strain of the coronavirus. Alabama and Mississippi are still coronavirus free; but it seems inevitable that the disease will eventually be found here. There are four cases in Tennessee, sixteen in Georgia, and fifteen in Florida, including one in Pensacola. 22 Americans have died in Washington, two in California, and two in Florida.

Public Service Announcement

Worldwide there have been 114,629 cases since December and 4,030 deaths. The countries hardest his are: China with 3,136 deaths, 463 in Italy, 237 in Italy, 54 in South Korea, 31 in Spain, 30 in France, and 27 in the U.S.