WPAFB downgrades health protection level; What it means

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE — Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is dropping its COVID-19 situation to HPCON Alpha, which is a step below HPCON Bravo

The base has been in HPCON Bravo since March 9, after cases, hospitalizations and test positivity rates across the state began to drop following the previous surge of COVID-19 omicron cases.

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In a video announcing the change, Col. Pat Miller, 88th ABW Commander, said Department of Defense changed the way installations, such as WPAFB, were able to determine their COVID-19 response. The base was now able to determine their health protection levels based community levels established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Miller said all 88 counties in Ohio currently have low community levels, supporting the move to HPCON Alpha.

The new health protection level allows the base to have up to 100 percent occupancy, Miller announced. Previously, only 50 percent occupancy was authorized under HPCON Bravo.

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This is the first time the base has been under HPCON Alpha since last summer, according to Miller.

HPCON Alpha is one step up from HPCON 0, which is a routine health protection level.

We’ll continue to update this story as we learn more.

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