As the novel coronavirus continues to spread, the Canadian military has started initial preparations for responding to a pandemic.

Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jon Vance issued a message Wednesday that he has ordered the activation of Operation Laser Phase 2, which is described as “Pandemic/Preparation.”

“The purpose of that tasking order is to ensure that the CAF (Canadian Armed Forces) implements measures to maintain CAF operational effectiveness and and readiness, preserve essential health services for (members), and maintain responsive support to civil authorities as part of the CG (government) response,” Vance’s message noted.

“We will immediately assess CAF posture at home and abroad, refresh business continuity plans, protect defence supply chains, and take measures to limit the chance of infection of our (members).”

In addition, the Canadian Forces is reviewing whether its current stocks of health-related supplies are adequate, the Department of National Defence confirmed to this newspaper.

Commanders will also review requests from military personnel for non-essential leave-related travel on a case-by-case basis.

Vance noted that military leaders will also scrutinize all scheduled activities that involve large gatherings and be prepared to cancel or postpone military “involvement in discretionary domestic events should Canada need to transition to pandemic mitigation.”

Vance noted that while much remains to be discovered about the coronavirus, the majority of persons who contract the infection will recover. The disease is particularly severe for older age groups and those with underlying medical conditions.

“This disease appears to not be as clinically severe as the 2003 SAR epidemic,” the general added.

The best way to prevent coronavirus “is to avoid becoming infected,” Vance added.

That means enforcing high standards of personal hygiene such as washing hands often.

In the meantime, the families of Canadian military personnel stationed in China have been brought back to Canada, Twenty-two family members were sent home. The nine Canadian military personnel remain in China.

In addition, there are five military staff in Japan, 15 in South Korea and 76 in Italy, all countries dealing with larger outbreaks of the coronavirus.

Those military personnel, and their families, are staying in those countries.

“We are constantly assessing the risk as new information arises,” noted DND spokeswoman Jessica Lamirande. “Should the risk become unacceptable, efforts will be made to repatriate our staff and/or their families.”

In addition, one training course involving military personnel has already been postponed, she added.

The Royal Canadian Air Force’s Visual Flight Rules Basic course offered at the Nav Centre in Cornwall, Ont. has been suspended after contractors raised concerns about the coronavirus. “This decision, which affects eight students, will have no lasting operational impact on the RCAF,” Lamirande stated. “This is a temporary measure, with full courses expected to resume in the near future.”

The U.S. Army stationed in Italy has closed schools, churches and gyms at its base in Vicenza.

Military personnel there have been ordered to avoid non-essential travel to certain areas of the country.

U.S. forces in South Korea have also limited travel and restricted access to bases.

The U.S. Army has started screening new recruits at four training facilities in the U.S. for the coronavirus.

At this time, there are no confirmed cases of the virus among Canadian Forces personnel.

Lamirande said that several Canadian Forces members in Canada and abroad have been tested for the virus, and all have come back negative. The testing includes military personnel who took part in operations to repatriate Canadians from China and Japan, she added.

—Ottawa Citizen—