Pentagon Orders Staff, Visitors To Wear Masks At DoD Facilities - Spokesperson

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th July, 2021) The Pentagon is mandating that all staff and visitors wear face masks at Department of Defense facilities in accordance with updated US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance, spokesperson Jamal Brown said on Wednesday.

"Deputy Secretary [Kathleen] Hicks has directed that all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks in indoor settings at Department of Defense installations and facilities in areas of substantial or high transmission, as defined by the CDC, to protect against rising COVID-19 cases," Brown said in a statement.

The directive applies to all service members, Federal personnel, contractors, and visitors, the statement said.

The CDC said on Tuesday that it was reintroducing its recommendation for masking, including for vaccinated people, in new COVID-19-prone areas as the United States is experiencing a resurgence of new infections.