Per NAVADMIN 100/20, released April 5, effective immediately, in accordance with direction from the Department of Defense, to the extent practical, all Individuals on DoD property, installations, and facilities are required to wear cloth face coverings when they cannot maintain six feet of social distance.
The Navy is committed to taking every precaution to ensure the health and wellbeing of our people and the nation in response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The Navy supports, and will continue to implement, all measures necessary to mitigate risks to the force, to our mission and to the spread of the disease. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, especially in areas of significant community-based transmission. Navy uniformed personnel, civilian employees, their family members, and Navy contractors are strongly encouraged to follow all CDC guidelines, including the use of cloth face coverings.
Personnel covered by NAVADMIN 100/20 required to wear cloth face coverings when they cannot maintain six feet of social distance include all:
- Military personnel
- Navy civilian employees
- Family members
- Navy contractors
- All other individuals on DoD property, installations, and facilities.
Exceptions to this requirement may be approved by local commanders. All personnel shall be prepared to lower face covering as directed by security forces to verify identification.
The Navy will continue to implement protective measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 to our total force and their families, and the American people. The latest DoD policies can be found at https://www.defense.gov/
Effective immediately, any face covering that is conservative in appearance, not offensive, and conforms to the below CDC guidance is acceptable to be worn in uniform. Face coverings will:
- Fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
- Be from nose to chin; full face coverings (like ski masks) are not authorized
- Be secured with ties or ear loops
- Preferably include multiple layers of fabric if material is cloth
- Allow for breathing without restriction
Until official uniform face coverings are produced and implemented, personnel are authorized to wear medical or construction-type masks, or other cloth covering such as bandanas, scarfs, etc.
When in doubt, priority will be compliance with the CDC guidance for function over appearance or preferred date of implementation. Non-uniformed personnel are advised to follow the guidance as outlined above.
Directions for how to produce these masks can be found on the CDC website:
https://www.cdc.gov/
Once available, sailors will be able to procure and wear official navy uniform face coverings.
