WEBVTT 00:00.660 --> 00:02.728 - With the General, I'll take questions 00:02.728 --> 00:07.728 regarding the USFK response to COVID-19. 00:08.350 --> 00:10.850 This is on the record. 00:10.850 --> 00:13.210 Reporters in the room here, 00:13.210 --> 00:16.600 we are asking that you introduce yourselves. 00:16.600 --> 00:19.160 Please state your name and your outlet 00:19.160 --> 00:22.130 as General Abrams cannot see you. 00:22.130 --> 00:25.080 It's audio only, on his end. 00:25.080 --> 00:30.080 We are shooting for a hard stop of 08:00. 00:30.400 --> 00:33.963 And we'll try to finish up questions by 7:55 00:33.963 --> 00:37.710 to allow the General to have a few closing comments. 00:37.710 --> 00:40.240 He'll begin with a few minutes of comments, 00:40.240 --> 00:41.443 then we'll go into Q&A. 00:42.390 --> 00:44.922 For the Q&A, Mr. John Stepple, 00:44.922 --> 00:46.880 he'll be calling the questions. 00:46.880 --> 00:49.130 Please respect our limited time with the General, 00:49.130 --> 00:51.290 and keep your questions aimed 00:51.290 --> 00:54.070 on the briefing topic of COVID-19. 00:54.070 --> 00:58.580 And please keep in mind, again, one question, one follow-up. 00:58.580 --> 01:01.890 With that, let's turn it over to General Abrams 01:01.890 --> 01:03.520 for opening remarks. 01:03.520 --> 01:04.607 Sir, over to you. 01:07.650 --> 01:08.610 - [General Abrams] Okay, good morning. 01:08.610 --> 01:10.170 How do you hear me? 01:10.170 --> 01:11.003 - Be all, sir. 01:14.220 --> 01:15.580 - [General Abrams] Okay, great. 01:15.580 --> 01:19.150 Well, look, it's unfortunate that I can't see all of you 01:19.150 --> 01:20.930 and many old friends. 01:20.930 --> 01:23.510 So thank you for attending this virtual presser, 01:23.510 --> 01:26.220 hosted by OSD Public Affairs. 01:26.220 --> 01:28.820 Again, my purpose today is to give you a quick update 01:28.820 --> 01:32.060 on COVID-19, here in the Republic of Korea 01:32.060 --> 01:35.690 and how U.S. Forces Korea has reduced risk to our formations 01:35.690 --> 01:38.620 and created safe havens for our populations. 01:38.620 --> 01:42.610 So let me start with a quick review of the timeline. 01:42.610 --> 01:45.520 On 27 January, as the outbreak in China started 01:45.520 --> 01:48.130 to gain traction in national attention, 01:48.130 --> 01:51.800 we here in USFK went to Enhanced Watchteam 01:51.800 --> 01:54.510 to monitor and assess the situation. 01:54.510 --> 01:58.040 In plain speak, we initiated 24/7 operations 01:58.040 --> 02:00.928 with a full operational staff in our Ops Center 02:00.928 --> 02:03.540 and providing daily updates. 02:03.540 --> 02:07.000 On 28 January, we initiated a thorough data call 02:07.000 --> 02:09.380 for any service member, family member, DoD 02:09.380 --> 02:12.470 or Korean national civilian employee or contractor 02:12.470 --> 02:15.550 who either traveled to or through mainland China, 02:15.550 --> 02:17.250 including layovers. 02:17.250 --> 02:18.097 And on February 1st, 02:18.097 --> 02:20.290 the same day North Korea reported 02:20.290 --> 02:24.363 12 confirmed COVID-19 cases, we raised our health protection 02:24.363 --> 02:29.363 condition to Low: HPCON ALPHA, 02:29.460 --> 02:32.120 and implemented the following control measures: 02:32.120 --> 02:34.304 we developed communication plans for information sharing 02:34.304 --> 02:36.800 with our USFK communities; 02:36.800 --> 02:39.420 we established quarantine facilities; 02:39.420 --> 02:44.110 we planned life support for those quarantine facilities; 02:44.110 --> 02:45.580 and we checked medical inventories 02:45.580 --> 02:47.473 to verify on-hand receipts. 02:48.600 --> 02:52.420 On February 2nd, South Korea announced 15 confirmed cases. 02:52.420 --> 02:54.418 And we mandated any service member 02:54.418 --> 02:58.380 who had visited mainland China on or after January 19th, 02:58.380 --> 03:01.920 to immediately go into a 14-day self-quarantine. 03:01.920 --> 03:04.800 We highly recommended everyone else do the same. 03:04.800 --> 03:08.750 At our peak, we had 77 service members, family members 03:08.750 --> 03:12.980 and civilians in self-quarantine, who had visited China. 03:12.980 --> 03:16.190 On February 11th, as the virus began spreading like wildfire 03:16.190 --> 03:19.820 across China or outside China, we increased our data call 03:19.820 --> 03:23.156 to other pacific nations, including Singapore and Thailand 03:23.156 --> 03:26.050 and closely monitored their confirmed cases, 03:26.050 --> 03:28.995 especially because we had upcoming training events 03:28.995 --> 03:32.850 with USFK elements rapidly approaching in those countries, 03:32.850 --> 03:34.868 and other countries, including Japan, Vietnam, 03:34.868 --> 03:37.110 Hong Kong and Taiwan. 03:37.110 --> 03:38.570 On February 11th, South Korea announced 03:38.570 --> 03:41.730 its 28th confirmed case. 03:41.730 --> 03:44.840 On February 20th, the Korean Center for Disease Control 03:44.840 --> 03:49.560 reported 104 confirmed cases for all of South Korea, 03:49.560 --> 03:52.600 with 57 in the city of Daegu. 03:52.600 --> 03:54.691 As we observed South Korean numbers rising, 03:54.691 --> 03:57.066 and with a cluster of four army installations 03:57.066 --> 03:58.708 based around Daegu, 03:58.708 --> 04:02.837 that is Camp Walker, Carroll, Henry and George, 04:02.837 --> 04:04.997 the proximity of the virus to our installation 04:04.997 --> 04:08.338 was at virtually, literally at our doorsteps, 04:08.338 --> 04:13.338 as well as already upon those who reside in Daegu city. 04:13.500 --> 04:16.348 Accordingly, we raised our HPCON condition 04:16.348 --> 04:18.508 to BRAVO or Moderate, 04:18.508 --> 04:21.720 and implemented the following control measures: 04:21.720 --> 04:23.616 we limited travel outside Korea 04:23.616 --> 04:27.930 and travel to and from Daegu to mission-essential only; 04:27.930 --> 04:31.030 we canceled school for all DoDEA schools in Daegu; 04:31.030 --> 04:34.101 we canceled all after-school programs and activities 04:34.101 --> 04:36.070 peninsula-wide; 04:36.070 --> 04:39.510 we canceled all meetings, formations and training events 04:39.510 --> 04:41.380 greater than 20 people; 04:41.380 --> 04:43.350 we requested re-supply of medical equipment 04:43.350 --> 04:47.040 and supplies to build up a 10-day of on-hand stock 04:47.040 --> 04:48.240 here in Korea; 04:48.240 --> 04:49.840 and we remained in close coordination 04:49.840 --> 04:52.610 with local South Korean governments, local governments 04:52.610 --> 04:54.938 and the federal government to maintain awareness. 04:54.938 --> 04:57.908 On February 24th, four days after we raised 04:57.908 --> 05:00.326 our protection level to HPCON BRAVO, 05:00.326 --> 05:05.326 the KCDC reported 833 confirmed cases in South Korea, 05:05.860 --> 05:07.890 an eight-fold increase. 05:07.890 --> 05:09.380 Among those confirmed cases 05:09.380 --> 05:12.230 was the first USFK affiliated person, 05:12.230 --> 05:14.142 a retired soldier's widow, 05:14.142 --> 05:17.940 who tested positive in the city of Daegu. 05:17.940 --> 05:20.270 The U.S. Center for Disease Control also established 05:20.270 --> 05:23.480 South Korea that day as Level 3. 05:23.480 --> 05:25.899 On February 26th, this is a very important date 05:25.899 --> 05:28.300 for those of us in Korea, 05:28.300 --> 05:33.300 KCDC reported 1,261 total confirmed cases in South Korea. 05:33.920 --> 05:37.560 Included in that number was USFK and Department of Defense 05:37.560 --> 05:41.590 first service member to test positive for COVID-19. 05:41.590 --> 05:44.890 As the outbreak in Daegu continued its acceleration, 05:44.890 --> 05:47.720 due to what we call a "super spreader" 05:47.720 --> 05:49.841 known here in Korea as "Patient 31", 05:49.841 --> 05:53.890 we raised our HPCON status to High or CHARLIE 05:53.890 --> 05:56.533 and implemented the following control measures: 05:56.533 --> 05:58.063 we limited off-post activities 05:58.063 --> 06:00.800 to official business and travel only; 06:00.800 --> 06:03.958 reduced our workforce to mission-essential people only; 06:03.958 --> 06:05.960 implemented tele-work; 06:05.960 --> 06:07.964 and limited visitor access to installations 06:07.964 --> 06:09.854 for official business only. 06:09.854 --> 06:11.880 And due to that restriction, 06:11.880 --> 06:14.703 we have seen a 60% reduction for installation entry 06:14.703 --> 06:19.300 which further reduced the potential spread to USFK. 06:19.300 --> 06:21.890 Additional HPCON CHARLIE control measures included 06:21.890 --> 06:26.370 limiting off-post excursions to necessary duties only, 06:26.370 --> 06:29.216 traveling to and from work, grocery shopping, 06:29.216 --> 06:33.060 pharmacy runs, medical and dental appointments. 06:33.060 --> 06:36.660 We placed bars, clubs, large social gatherings, 06:36.660 --> 06:40.500 eat-in dining, and movie theaters as off-limits 06:40.500 --> 06:44.853 and encouraged everyone to minimize public transportation. 06:44.853 --> 06:47.050 For those authorized to come on to post, 06:47.050 --> 06:48.489 we enhanced screening procedures 06:48.489 --> 06:50.690 at every entry control point 06:50.690 --> 06:53.510 with detailed medical and travel screening questions 06:53.510 --> 06:54.950 and temperature checks. 06:54.950 --> 06:58.110 Depending on the individual's response or temperature, 06:58.110 --> 07:01.050 medical professionals conduct additional screenings 07:01.050 --> 07:04.150 and send them home or to a hospital as needed. 07:04.150 --> 07:06.940 We require everyone to answer the questions honestly 07:06.940 --> 07:08.850 and truthfully without penalty. 07:08.850 --> 07:12.260 If anyone is dishonest, and we find out later, 07:12.260 --> 07:15.060 I have the authority to bar them from the installations 07:15.060 --> 07:17.498 and have done so in one case already. 07:17.498 --> 07:19.467 Within USFK headquarters, 07:19.467 --> 07:22.640 we implemented social gathering restrictions and distancing 07:22.640 --> 07:25.050 by limiting those attending meetings, 07:25.050 --> 07:26.746 increased space between seats, 07:26.746 --> 07:29.592 used overflow rooms and maximized video teleconference 07:29.592 --> 07:31.420 as much as possible. 07:31.420 --> 07:34.120 We also clean and wipe down chairs, tables, podiums, 07:34.120 --> 07:37.220 microphones and other common and frequently used items 07:37.220 --> 07:39.810 in areas throughout the day. 07:39.810 --> 07:44.130 Also on 26 February, DoDEA closed all schools 07:44.130 --> 07:45.264 across South Korea, 07:45.264 --> 07:47.886 and they currently remain closed today. 07:47.886 --> 07:50.070 DoDEA's implemented tele-teaching 07:50.070 --> 07:52.690 to ensure teachers and students remain engaged, 07:52.690 --> 07:55.030 learning and remain on path towards earning credits 07:55.030 --> 07:58.970 and graduation for our seniors. 07:58.970 --> 08:01.260 On February 29th, the State Department established 08:01.260 --> 08:04.340 South Korea as a Travel Warning 3 08:04.340 --> 08:07.877 and raised Daegu to Level 4 on March 2nd. 08:07.877 --> 08:10.510 So here's how we've been successful 08:10.510 --> 08:12.839 at creating these impenetrable barriers, 08:12.839 --> 08:14.440 what we like to refer to here 08:14.440 --> 08:16.844 as protective bubbles around our installations, 08:16.844 --> 08:21.140 just to keep the virus out of our formations, 08:21.140 --> 08:23.380 out of our workforce, out of our homes 08:23.380 --> 08:25.090 and out of our schools. 08:25.090 --> 08:29.118 Our number one priority is to protect the Force, always, 08:29.118 --> 08:31.210 and when I say the Force, that's inclusive 08:31.210 --> 08:33.573 of all DoD service members, families, 08:33.573 --> 08:37.460 DoD and Korean national employees, contractors 08:37.460 --> 08:40.977 and anyone affiliated with U.S. Forces Korea. 08:40.977 --> 08:44.070 Since early February, and out of an abundance of caution, 08:44.070 --> 08:46.210 we steadily implemented a number 08:46.210 --> 08:48.379 of strict health protection control measures, 08:48.379 --> 08:50.540 mitigation strategies and directives, 08:50.540 --> 08:52.120 as I previously briefed, 08:52.120 --> 08:55.540 to prevent the spread of COVID-19 within USFK. 08:56.380 --> 09:01.380 We currently have a total of 9 patients who tested positive. 09:02.341 --> 09:07.341 One service member, two active duty dependents, 09:07.790 --> 09:09.778 and the rest are Korean national employees 09:09.778 --> 09:11.690 and contractors. 09:11.690 --> 09:15.653 And it's important to note that all nine live off base. 09:18.870 --> 09:23.720 Out of a population of 58,000 people 09:23.720 --> 09:27.020 that touches U.S. Forces Korea daily, 09:27.020 --> 09:28.800 that's a pretty low number. 09:28.800 --> 09:33.800 Less than 1/100th of a percent of positive cases. 09:34.770 --> 09:36.120 Connie and I, as many of you know, 09:36.120 --> 09:38.187 visited our one positive service member 09:38.187 --> 09:40.380 and two family members at the hospital, 09:40.380 --> 09:42.026 here at Camp Humphreys. 09:42.026 --> 09:44.940 They were doing well then, they continue to do well. 09:44.940 --> 09:48.153 They're asymptomatic and we hope to see their release soon. 09:50.590 --> 09:53.090 Another point, we encourage anyone feeling sick 09:53.090 --> 09:54.063 to stay at home. 09:54.930 --> 09:57.250 Do not come to work or go to school. 09:57.250 --> 10:00.252 We've established the COVID-19 hotline, which they call, 10:00.252 --> 10:02.300 and they maintain self-screening 10:02.300 --> 10:05.130 and take instructions from our medical professionals. 10:05.130 --> 10:07.660 If anyone feels sick at work, we immediately send them home 10:07.660 --> 10:09.400 to monitor their symptoms. 10:09.400 --> 10:12.990 If medical professionals suspect the individual has COVID-19 10:12.990 --> 10:15.200 and while they are waiting for their test results, 10:15.200 --> 10:18.930 anyone who had immediate, close contact with that individual 10:18.930 --> 10:21.060 goes home for self-monitoring. 10:21.060 --> 10:23.790 If the test comes back negative, everyone can return to duty 10:23.790 --> 10:27.120 while continuing to monitor their physical condition. 10:27.120 --> 10:31.370 At our peak, we had 392 service members, family members, 10:31.370 --> 10:33.970 civilians in self-quarantine. 10:33.970 --> 10:36.818 And today we sit at 55. 10:36.818 --> 10:38.550 That number fluctuates daily, 10:38.550 --> 10:42.000 but we've seen a downward trend for the last two weeks. 10:42.000 --> 10:44.894 So far, we've tested more than 145 10:44.894 --> 10:47.280 USFK affiliated individuals, 10:47.280 --> 10:49.770 either through the KCDC 10:49.770 --> 10:52.290 or our own capability that we've established 10:52.290 --> 10:54.040 at the Brian D. Allgood Army Community Hospital 10:54.040 --> 10:56.423 in Camp Humphreys on 7 March. 10:57.260 --> 10:59.680 If the test comes back positive, 10:59.680 --> 11:03.540 we immediately go into a COVID-19 battle drill. 11:03.540 --> 11:06.470 The individual, if its a service or family member, 11:06.470 --> 11:07.530 goes into isolation, 11:07.530 --> 11:10.850 one of our six negative pressure rooms at our hospitals. 11:10.850 --> 11:12.425 We have three rooms on Camp Humphreys 11:12.425 --> 11:14.527 and three on Osan Air Base 11:14.527 --> 11:16.490 for attentive care and observation 11:16.490 --> 11:18.500 by U.S. military doctors. 11:18.500 --> 11:19.700 If they are Korean nationals, 11:19.700 --> 11:22.800 the KCDC will either isolate them in a Korean hospital, 11:22.800 --> 11:24.780 or tell them to go home for self-isolation 11:24.780 --> 11:26.200 at their residence. 11:26.200 --> 11:28.640 We thoroughly conduct contact tracing, 11:28.640 --> 11:33.230 meaning designated USFK personnel and the KCDC-- 11:33.230 --> 11:35.840 And by the way, on KCDC, I want to commend them 11:35.840 --> 11:38.500 for their incredible professionalism, transparency 11:38.500 --> 11:40.190 and coordination with us. 11:40.190 --> 11:42.150 They've been great teammates. 11:42.150 --> 11:44.450 Together those trace teams identify anyone 11:44.450 --> 11:46.974 who has come in contact with the confirmed individual 11:46.974 --> 11:49.922 24 hours prior to their symptoms appearing 11:49.922 --> 11:53.460 up until the time they've been tested positive. 11:53.460 --> 11:55.693 And we've put all of those people in quarantine. 11:55.693 --> 11:57.620 And we also have a dedicated team 11:57.620 --> 11:59.960 that thoroughly cleans and disinfects any known 11:59.960 --> 12:03.380 on-post area where the individual visited. 12:03.380 --> 12:07.210 We also identify any current hotspot location. 12:07.210 --> 12:10.048 A hotspot is an area where South Korea's identified 12:10.048 --> 12:13.950 a confirmed COVID-19 individual has visited. 12:13.950 --> 12:15.650 And then we upload that location 12:15.650 --> 12:17.630 to an interactive map that we've built 12:17.630 --> 12:19.890 on our U.S. Forces Korea website. 12:19.890 --> 12:22.649 We send out alert text and email messages 12:22.649 --> 12:25.980 so our community can conduct our own contact tracing 12:25.980 --> 12:28.252 to see if they have previously visited that hotspot 12:28.252 --> 12:31.403 as well as to avoid those areas for the next 14 days. 12:32.480 --> 12:34.320 We stress that everyone has an obligation 12:34.320 --> 12:35.970 to prevent the spread of the virus, 12:35.970 --> 12:38.910 and we've all embraced strict proper hygiene procedures 12:38.910 --> 12:42.370 that all of you, by now, have heard 100 times. 12:42.370 --> 12:44.800 But believe me, they work. 12:44.800 --> 12:47.890 But most importantly, if anyone's feeling sick, 12:47.890 --> 12:50.570 we don't allow them to come into work. 12:50.570 --> 12:53.350 They stay home, they avoid contact with others, 12:53.350 --> 12:55.960 they monitor their physical condition, 12:55.960 --> 12:58.900 and immediately seek medical treatment. 12:58.900 --> 13:01.140 Two weeks ago, I followed my own guidance, 13:01.140 --> 13:04.090 left the headquarters, and worked from home that afternoon, 13:04.090 --> 13:06.370 because I wasn't feeling well. 13:06.370 --> 13:07.730 I've told everyone, 13:07.730 --> 13:09.550 if you want to kill this virus, 13:09.550 --> 13:12.840 it requires a fundamental change in lifestyle. 13:12.840 --> 13:15.330 And we are all living this fundamental change. 13:15.330 --> 13:18.053 There are no exceptions for rank or position. 13:18.930 --> 13:20.940 We remain committed to doing everything we can 13:20.940 --> 13:22.290 to keep everyone safe, 13:22.290 --> 13:24.720 while continuing our daily routines. 13:24.720 --> 13:27.560 We must balance the overall health, safety and protection 13:27.560 --> 13:30.350 of the Force with our other priority here, 13:30.350 --> 13:33.130 and that's to maintain our Fight Tonight readiness posture, 13:33.130 --> 13:36.410 to protect and defend the Republic of Korea. 13:36.410 --> 13:39.950 That mission has not gone away with COVID-19. 13:39.950 --> 13:42.684 And you need to not look any further than the last two weeks 13:42.684 --> 13:46.300 with multiple North Korean missile tests. 13:46.300 --> 13:49.890 COVID-19 still has a lot of unknowns. 13:49.890 --> 13:51.685 And we're dealing with a fast and fluid virus 13:51.685 --> 13:54.610 that has an immediate impact on everyone, 13:54.610 --> 13:57.890 as all of you back in the States are experiencing now. 13:57.890 --> 14:00.404 Currently, South Korean trends are trending downward, 14:00.404 --> 14:01.630 and looking good. 14:01.630 --> 14:05.460 113 cases nationwide today. 14:05.460 --> 14:07.490 We all have a shared and personal responsibility 14:07.490 --> 14:09.200 to contain the spread of the virus 14:09.200 --> 14:11.240 and to protect each other. 14:11.240 --> 14:13.162 I assess one of the keys to our success, 14:13.162 --> 14:17.200 is that we operationalize our approach to combating COVID-19 14:17.200 --> 14:19.130 from the very beginning. 14:19.130 --> 14:22.500 This is not an administrative task, 14:22.500 --> 14:24.200 this is not a medical task, 14:24.200 --> 14:25.950 and it's not a routine event. 14:25.950 --> 14:27.480 But it's an operation. 14:27.480 --> 14:31.050 We are conducting 24/7 round the clock operations 14:31.050 --> 14:34.050 and have been since 27 January. 14:34.050 --> 14:37.960 We've approached it similarly to how we operate in combat. 14:37.960 --> 14:41.430 We apply speed and violence of action on contact. 14:41.430 --> 14:44.950 We apply analytical tools and predictive analysis, 14:44.950 --> 14:47.380 and provide daily update briefings to me 14:47.380 --> 14:48.710 and component commanders, 14:48.710 --> 14:51.852 so we maintain shared situation awareness. 14:51.852 --> 14:53.890 Another key to success has been 14:53.890 --> 14:56.980 open and transparent communications with our people. 14:56.980 --> 15:01.180 For example, daily livestream community briefings 15:01.180 --> 15:03.890 by our garrison and installation commanders 15:03.890 --> 15:06.010 with questions and answers, as well as 15:06.010 --> 15:10.630 multiple virtual town halls with our senior commanders. 15:10.630 --> 15:14.477 We've also gone to great lengths in leveraging social media 15:14.477 --> 15:19.477 to continue to provide best information to our community 15:20.730 --> 15:23.483 that is timely, accurate and relevant to them. 15:25.100 --> 15:27.480 We are not out of the woods yet here in Korea. 15:27.480 --> 15:30.960 We must all remain vigilant and everyone must do their part 15:30.960 --> 15:33.050 in our efforts to control the virus. 15:33.050 --> 15:36.690 And so far, everyone within U.S. Forces Korea 15:36.690 --> 15:38.600 has been 100% compliant 15:38.600 --> 15:41.310 with our preventive mitigation efforts. 15:41.310 --> 15:45.040 I'm extraordinarily proud of our USFK staff, 15:45.040 --> 15:47.272 all of our component commands and subordinates, 15:47.272 --> 15:50.210 all of our service members, our amazing families 15:50.210 --> 15:52.481 and employees who are maintaining their vigilance 15:52.481 --> 15:55.653 and resiliency during this time. 15:55.653 --> 16:00.373 Our mantra here in Korea: #killthevirus. 16:01.660 --> 16:04.230 I'll end with that, and I'm ready for your questions. 16:04.230 --> 16:05.840 - Bob. 16:05.840 --> 16:08.393 - General Abrams, this is Bob Burns with AP. 16:09.806 --> 16:11.963 You mentioned that, I think you said 16:11.963 --> 16:15.833 that 145 people had been tested thus far. 16:17.565 --> 16:22.565 Did that refer to USFK active duty soldiers, 16:23.800 --> 16:25.550 or everybody in the community? 16:25.550 --> 16:27.851 And I'm wondering more broadly whether that 16:27.851 --> 16:31.760 you're able to test as many people as are required. 16:31.760 --> 16:33.913 Do you have the capability to test what you need to test, 16:33.913 --> 16:35.343 who you need to test? 16:39.290 --> 16:40.360 - Hey, Bob, it's good to see you. 16:40.360 --> 16:41.900 Thanks for the question. 16:41.900 --> 16:46.280 That's 145 USFK-affiliated people. 16:46.280 --> 16:48.975 So that's service members, family members, 16:48.975 --> 16:52.811 Korean nationals, contractors, anybody in our workforce 16:52.811 --> 16:54.923 that touches our people. 16:55.805 --> 16:58.605 The short answer to your question is, yes. 16:58.605 --> 17:03.027 We can get as many tested as necessary. 17:03.027 --> 17:06.620 As you may be aware, the Republic of Korea, 17:06.620 --> 17:10.480 learning from previous pandemic experience, 17:10.480 --> 17:12.274 revamped their system. 17:12.274 --> 17:16.200 Three weeks ago, they could do about 5,000 tests a day. 17:16.200 --> 17:19.150 Today they can do about 18,000 tests a day. 17:19.150 --> 17:21.927 To date, they've already tested over 189,000 17:24.303 --> 17:27.100 South Korean citizens. 17:27.100 --> 17:30.910 That's about one in every 280 citizens 17:33.970 --> 17:36.600 of the Republic of Korea have been tested. 17:36.600 --> 17:38.710 There's over 100 test stations 17:38.710 --> 17:40.490 throughout the Republic of Korea. 17:40.490 --> 17:43.530 They've got drive-in testing centers. 17:43.530 --> 17:47.070 So that was a limiting factor at the beginning, 17:47.070 --> 17:49.142 it's no longer a limiting factor. 17:49.142 --> 17:50.790 - [Bob] Thank you. 17:50.790 --> 17:53.880 - General Abrams, Barbara Starr from CNN. 17:53.880 --> 17:57.810 On testing, can you tell us, though, 17:57.810 --> 18:02.810 how long it took USFK to get its own testing capability 18:03.030 --> 18:05.890 that you felt was required so you were not reliant 18:05.890 --> 18:09.250 on the Republic of Korea, 18:09.250 --> 18:12.540 and today do you have--? 18:12.540 --> 18:14.150 How long did it take, 18:14.150 --> 18:17.400 why didn't they get you what you needed, 18:17.400 --> 18:21.130 and do you now have that capability resident 18:21.130 --> 18:22.780 within your forces? 18:22.780 --> 18:26.610 And why did you need to bring in additional medical teams? 18:26.610 --> 18:29.343 What didn't you have on hand? 18:32.680 --> 18:34.100 - Okay, thanks Barbara. 18:34.100 --> 18:36.720 And I wish I could see you and say, "Good to see you." 18:36.720 --> 18:38.313 But thanks for the question. 18:40.000 --> 18:44.005 We recognized early on, as I went back to the timeline, 18:44.005 --> 18:48.405 as soon as we went to HPCON ALPHA, 18:48.405 --> 18:51.960 we knew then as the Republic of Korea 18:51.960 --> 18:55.233 was beginning to gear up their own testing capability, 18:55.233 --> 18:58.200 and as they got more and more cases 18:58.200 --> 19:00.702 and they were having more requirements for tests, 19:00.702 --> 19:02.653 that their system was stressed. 19:05.017 --> 19:07.720 And so that's when we started asking, 19:07.720 --> 19:09.270 when I submitted the request 19:09.270 --> 19:11.680 for our own testing capability here. 19:11.680 --> 19:14.589 I think you're well aware and its well-documented 19:14.589 --> 19:18.150 by federal law for U.S. citizens, 19:18.150 --> 19:20.303 we have to use an FDA-approved test. 19:21.530 --> 19:23.690 And there wasn't one. 19:23.690 --> 19:25.606 So that was a constant reminder 19:25.606 --> 19:28.960 that I provided in routine updates. 19:28.960 --> 19:30.390 I had frequent access 19:30.390 --> 19:33.000 with both the Chairman and Secretary 19:33.000 --> 19:36.290 to help give us the resources that we needed. 19:36.290 --> 19:38.080 So they were well aware of the requirement 19:38.080 --> 19:40.743 and certainly were advocating on our behalf. 19:41.610 --> 19:44.760 The test kit arrived, the test capability, 19:44.760 --> 19:49.760 if you will, arrived on 3 March 19:50.330 --> 19:53.730 and we had it fully operational by 7 March. 19:53.730 --> 19:54.973 There's a number of things you've got to do 19:54.973 --> 19:57.723 to get it calibrated and so forth. 19:58.860 --> 20:02.380 So we became capable, fully operational capability 20:02.380 --> 20:04.100 on the 7 of March. 20:04.100 --> 20:09.100 Now having said that, KCDC, as I indicated earlier, 20:09.440 --> 20:11.985 they've been extraordinary partners. 20:11.985 --> 20:14.940 We typically got our test results turnaround 20:14.940 --> 20:16.563 in about 24 hours. 20:17.530 --> 20:20.060 And in many cases, we know that they were taking 20:20.060 --> 20:23.605 USFK samples and pushing them up higher in the queue 20:23.605 --> 20:26.430 to make sure that we got the results back. 20:26.430 --> 20:29.640 And so they've been terrific partners. 20:29.640 --> 20:32.580 The additional medical capability-- 20:32.580 --> 20:34.530 So in our organization, 20:34.530 --> 20:38.490 our hospital and our medical teams here, 20:38.490 --> 20:40.500 just like every other military hospital 20:40.500 --> 20:43.453 or any other unit in the Armed Forces, 20:43.453 --> 20:44.937 specifically in the Army, 20:44.937 --> 20:49.937 we have a table of organization and equipment for personnel 20:50.303 --> 20:53.530 that they're authorized but not assigned. 20:53.530 --> 20:56.784 And those practitioners are assigned to medical centers 20:56.784 --> 20:58.820 so they can sustain their skills, 20:58.820 --> 21:01.540 keep up their certifications and so forth. 21:01.540 --> 21:05.446 We used to call them PROFIS docs and nurses and medics. 21:05.446 --> 21:07.020 They've got a new name for them now, 21:07.020 --> 21:09.867 I can't keep up with the new name. 21:09.867 --> 21:12.010 So the first request was, 21:12.010 --> 21:13.420 we need to get our PROFIS docs 21:13.420 --> 21:15.211 to be able to handle the additional load. 21:15.211 --> 21:17.900 So it's not that we needed extra, 21:17.900 --> 21:19.644 we just needed what we were authorized, 21:19.644 --> 21:22.990 should we go to wartime conditions. 21:22.990 --> 21:25.978 And so, INDOPACOM and the Services 21:25.978 --> 21:27.410 were very cooperative, 21:27.410 --> 21:28.920 and we got those people-- 21:28.920 --> 21:30.270 Soon as I dropped the request, 21:30.270 --> 21:33.020 we had people arriving within 48 hours. 21:33.020 --> 21:35.860 We have also benefited from some augmentation 21:35.860 --> 21:37.138 from the Army's medical lab, 21:37.138 --> 21:40.626 some tech specialists that are not organic here in Korea, 21:40.626 --> 21:44.460 to provide oversight of the test capability. 21:44.460 --> 21:49.460 As well as, we got three dedicated trace teams, specialists, 21:49.540 --> 21:53.710 and being able to do that tracing for us, 21:53.710 --> 21:55.560 from a medical perspective. 21:55.560 --> 21:57.276 And we've been able to have those teams here 21:57.276 --> 22:00.320 and we've distributed them both here on Camp Humphreys, 22:00.320 --> 22:02.660 Osan and down in Daegu. 22:02.660 --> 22:04.623 So it's been a terrific partnership. 22:06.240 --> 22:08.930 - Just on that, having now had that test capability 22:08.930 --> 22:12.450 for six days, what has been your experience 22:12.450 --> 22:16.350 about the pros and cons of the US test 22:16.350 --> 22:18.550 versus the Korean test, the different tests? 22:20.910 --> 22:22.580 Could you give us some sense of what impact 22:22.580 --> 22:26.449 do you think that the furloughs would have 22:26.449 --> 22:28.328 if they go forward, 22:28.328 --> 22:31.360 given everything that's going on right now 22:31.360 --> 22:32.490 in your contingency plans? 22:32.490 --> 22:34.800 If the furloughs go forward on April 15 22:34.800 --> 22:36.900 or April 1, or whenever they would go forward, 22:36.900 --> 22:38.963 what impact would that have on you? 22:42.390 --> 22:44.537 - Yes, so, the furlough-- 22:45.991 --> 22:50.991 And as Secretary Esper or the Pentagon announced 22:51.290 --> 22:53.560 a couple weeks back, 22:53.560 --> 22:56.667 he did approve us authorizations to maintain 22:56.667 --> 22:59.829 portions of the workforce tied to life, health, safety 22:59.829 --> 23:01.773 and minimum readiness. 23:02.660 --> 23:06.730 And so, that's what's gonna happen 23:06.730 --> 23:08.880 pending any extraordinary effort. 23:08.880 --> 23:11.710 I understand there's gonna be another negotiation session 23:11.710 --> 23:15.620 in Los Angeles on Monday or Tuesday next week. 23:15.620 --> 23:18.210 But if there is no agreement in principle 23:18.210 --> 23:19.200 by the first of April, 23:19.200 --> 23:23.283 we will be furloughing a good portion of our population. 23:24.141 --> 23:28.618 So how that directly relates to COVID-19, 23:28.618 --> 23:31.000 it won't impact on life, health or safety 23:31.000 --> 23:32.004 or minimum readiness. 23:32.004 --> 23:35.490 Those people will be able to sustain that. 23:35.490 --> 23:38.249 But that only works in the short term. 23:38.249 --> 23:41.298 As I've articulated, back to the building, 23:41.298 --> 23:43.503 there are long term effects, 23:43.503 --> 23:48.262 depending on how long we maintain that current status. 23:48.262 --> 23:51.240 The other concern we have now 23:51.240 --> 23:53.900 is with the recent stop move order 23:53.900 --> 23:55.740 that came out of the Department. 23:55.740 --> 23:58.740 We're gonna have a large backlog of people 23:58.740 --> 24:01.120 who needed to part Korea. 24:01.120 --> 24:06.120 And say, hypothetically, that the period ends 12 March 24:06.230 --> 24:08.339 or 12 May for us, 24:08.339 --> 24:12.980 we'll have quite a few service members stacked in the queue. 24:12.980 --> 24:17.220 So we're gonna have a bulge competing with 24:17.220 --> 24:19.180 all the in-bounds and normal out-bounds 24:19.180 --> 24:20.840 for the months of May and June. 24:20.840 --> 24:25.570 I'm in dialogue and provided my recommendations 24:25.570 --> 24:29.380 back to the building, for some additional resources 24:29.380 --> 24:31.479 to be able to retain some additional Korean nationals 24:31.479 --> 24:34.750 to be able to mitigate the effects of that bulge 24:34.750 --> 24:38.270 that we did not properly plan for and predict. 24:38.270 --> 24:40.310 This is really a black swan event. 24:40.310 --> 24:43.180 And when we provided that analysis back to the Department 24:43.180 --> 24:45.780 over a month ago, that wasn't in our calculus. 24:45.780 --> 24:47.373 So, we're in dialogue with the Department 24:47.373 --> 24:50.510 to seek additional authorizations. 24:50.510 --> 24:52.253 - The difference between the two tests? 24:55.910 --> 25:00.910 - Yeah, I don't actually know. 25:01.960 --> 25:04.120 I will tell you one thing, 25:04.120 --> 25:06.810 and I want to make this clear to everybody. 25:06.810 --> 25:09.520 Just by sheer luck and chance, 25:09.520 --> 25:14.520 I have a colonel who is the U.S. Forces Korea Surgeon. 25:14.840 --> 25:18.840 And by definition, that's any medical doctor 25:18.840 --> 25:20.313 serves as the Surgeon. 25:21.270 --> 25:26.270 Last year, I think I had an orthopedic. 25:26.420 --> 25:29.640 This year, by sheer luck, I happen to have 25:29.640 --> 25:32.890 one of the Army's leading infectious disease doctors 25:32.890 --> 25:35.737 as the USFK Surgeon. 25:35.737 --> 25:37.580 I'll ask him the question, 25:37.580 --> 25:39.530 and we can provide that back to Department. 25:39.530 --> 25:41.575 I don't know. 25:41.575 --> 25:43.693 But they're both working. 25:44.714 --> 25:46.784 - Thank you, General Abrams. 25:46.784 --> 25:48.880 My name's Tara Copp with McClatchy. 25:48.880 --> 25:49.730 As you mentioned before, 25:49.730 --> 25:51.220 North Korea's still firing missiles. 25:51.220 --> 25:52.900 Can you give us a sense of 25:52.900 --> 25:56.580 how you have maintained regular operations? 25:56.580 --> 25:57.860 Like in the Joint Operations Center, 25:57.860 --> 25:59.352 are you having social distancing? 25:59.352 --> 26:01.880 How are you flying sorties? 26:01.880 --> 26:04.020 How have you been able to still operate 26:04.020 --> 26:07.880 while maintaining the coronavirus at bay? 26:07.880 --> 26:11.199 And then secondly, sir, have you yourself been tested? 26:11.199 --> 26:14.410 You said you weren't feeling well a few weeks ago. 26:14.410 --> 26:17.570 And what sort of policies do you have 26:17.570 --> 26:19.543 for who gets tested on base? 26:23.330 --> 26:24.788 - Yeah, okay. 26:24.788 --> 26:26.926 So let me be clear, right? 26:26.926 --> 26:30.170 No, I have not been tested. 26:30.170 --> 26:31.330 What I said was is, 26:31.330 --> 26:33.120 I wasn't feeling good so I went home. 26:33.120 --> 26:36.770 The next step is self-monitor 26:36.770 --> 26:38.770 and if you continue to not feel well, 26:38.770 --> 26:40.610 seek medical attention. 26:40.610 --> 26:44.140 By the next morning, I felt 100% good. 26:44.140 --> 26:48.540 So I followed our own protocol, and I was good to go. 26:48.540 --> 26:49.770 Not necessary. 26:49.770 --> 26:53.680 But had I woken up the next day, not felt well, 26:53.680 --> 26:57.392 I would've been on the phone with my physician 26:57.392 --> 27:00.450 and I would've taken myself over to the hospital 27:00.450 --> 27:02.273 for medical evaluation. 27:03.520 --> 27:06.606 To your question about how we're maintaining our operations. 27:06.606 --> 27:11.440 So, yes, of course, we mandate social distancing. 27:11.440 --> 27:14.690 I've seen the pictures there in the press room, 27:14.690 --> 27:16.050 it's actually kind of funny. 27:16.050 --> 27:18.370 You guys are all perfectly measured, 27:18.370 --> 27:19.820 seven feet apart or whatever. 27:20.860 --> 27:23.030 But look, in our Operations Center, 27:23.030 --> 27:25.550 that's actually not feasible, right? 27:25.550 --> 27:28.859 So, there's other ways to mitigate the risks. 27:28.859 --> 27:33.290 So we do screening before you go into the Operations Center. 27:33.290 --> 27:34.830 We have limited the number of people 27:34.830 --> 27:36.520 who are allowed into the Operations Center, 27:36.520 --> 27:38.283 basically trusted agents. 27:39.260 --> 27:42.210 They are constantly doing disinfectant operations 27:42.210 --> 27:45.810 with spray, wipe down, et cetera. 27:45.810 --> 27:49.700 Everyone is being ultra careful in their dealings. 27:49.700 --> 27:51.260 And then, fundamentally, it boils down 27:51.260 --> 27:53.260 to trusting your teammates, 27:53.260 --> 27:55.770 that they're doing the exact actions required 27:55.770 --> 27:59.979 so that we can maintain a very vibrant, capable 27:59.979 --> 28:02.410 operational capability. 28:02.410 --> 28:05.180 Same goes with our air crews. 28:05.180 --> 28:06.447 We're still flying. 28:06.447 --> 28:08.440 We're still training. 28:08.440 --> 28:09.720 We're still shooting gunnery. 28:09.720 --> 28:11.620 We're still qualifying our weapons. 28:11.620 --> 28:13.550 We're still conducting maneuver training. 28:13.550 --> 28:17.060 All of that is possible as long as you apply 28:17.060 --> 28:19.249 the additional mitigation measures 28:19.249 --> 28:21.170 that I mentioned to you. 28:21.170 --> 28:24.460 So that's a long way of me telling you 28:24.460 --> 28:26.610 that there's ways to work around it 28:26.610 --> 28:28.530 but you have to go to some extraordinary measures 28:28.530 --> 28:30.300 to ensure it's safe for everyone. 28:30.300 --> 28:31.227 - Sir, if it's okay with you, 28:31.227 --> 28:32.860 I have two more questions. 28:32.860 --> 28:34.670 - Thank you very much. 28:34.670 --> 28:36.890 Good evening, General Abrams, 28:36.890 --> 28:40.951 I'm Jenny Park with the USA General Career Agents 28:40.951 --> 28:42.284 come from Korea. 28:43.380 --> 28:44.780 And I have a quick question. 28:44.780 --> 28:48.398 Are you satisfied with the South Korean government's 28:48.398 --> 28:52.450 response to COVID-19? 28:52.450 --> 28:57.450 If not, what would you recommend to South Korean government? 28:57.970 --> 28:59.070 And the second question, 28:59.070 --> 29:04.070 is there any suspicious activity by North Korea, 29:04.363 --> 29:08.610 are they using a chemical biological weapons? 29:08.610 --> 29:09.610 Thank you very much. 29:13.530 --> 29:18.390 - Come suddenly to your second question: no. 29:18.390 --> 29:23.390 There are no indications of any sort of attempts 29:24.880 --> 29:28.202 by North Korea to inject some sort of biological weapons 29:28.202 --> 29:30.835 or anything like that. 29:30.835 --> 29:34.480 You've seen the public statements by North Korea 29:34.480 --> 29:37.920 that they claim that they have no COVID-19 cases. 29:37.920 --> 29:39.310 It is a closed-off nation, 29:39.310 --> 29:43.680 so we can't say emphatically that they have cases. 29:43.680 --> 29:45.890 But we're fairly certain they do. 29:45.890 --> 29:49.206 But what I do know is that their armed forces 29:49.206 --> 29:51.680 has been fundamentally been on lockdown 29:51.680 --> 29:53.000 for about 30 days. 29:53.000 --> 29:57.050 And only recently, have they started routine training again. 29:57.050 --> 30:01.510 As one example, they didn't fly an airplane for 24 days. 30:01.510 --> 30:03.963 So they're back to flying a training sorties. 30:06.340 --> 30:10.207 Ma'am, with all respect, it would be inappropriate for me 30:10.207 --> 30:13.680 to comment on the Republic of Korea government's effort 30:13.680 --> 30:15.750 in controlling COVID-19. 30:15.750 --> 30:20.750 I will tell you that we have received every bit of support. 30:20.793 --> 30:25.360 The efforts that we have seen have been extraordinary. 30:25.360 --> 30:27.510 They've been responsive. 30:27.510 --> 30:30.800 The president, himself, declared war on COVID-19, 30:30.800 --> 30:32.910 about six days ago. 30:32.910 --> 30:34.280 They've gone to great measures 30:34.280 --> 30:38.203 to help the good people of Daegu, and that province. 30:39.323 --> 30:42.395 There's been tremendous amount of sacrifice 30:42.395 --> 30:46.680 by the Korean people to change their lifestyle, 30:46.680 --> 30:48.460 limit their socialization. 30:48.460 --> 30:50.380 There's been a huge impact economically 30:50.380 --> 30:53.750 because many of the shopkeepers, stores, bars, 30:53.750 --> 30:56.930 restaurants, et cetera, are not seeing that. 30:56.930 --> 30:59.210 So we've had great, great cooperation, 30:59.210 --> 31:01.640 great support from CDC. 31:01.640 --> 31:02.690 We're getting great support 31:02.690 --> 31:04.861 from the Korean healthcare system. 31:04.861 --> 31:07.830 And we've certainly been receiving great support 31:07.830 --> 31:09.660 from the Ministry of National Defense, 31:09.660 --> 31:12.800 and the ROK JCS. 31:12.800 --> 31:16.320 So I don't have any suggestions for what they're doing. 31:16.320 --> 31:19.960 From a USFK perspective, I could not have asked 31:19.960 --> 31:21.890 for a better partner. 31:21.890 --> 31:23.717 - Final question, Lucas. 31:23.717 --> 31:25.120 - I'm Lucas Tomlinson with FOX News. 31:25.120 --> 31:26.340 Good evening, General. 31:26.340 --> 31:30.850 Last week, you had seven cases of coronavirus 31:30.850 --> 31:33.257 among USFK personnel. 31:33.257 --> 31:36.270 This week, today, you're saying nine cases. 31:36.270 --> 31:38.270 Who are these two additional cases 31:38.270 --> 31:39.970 and when did you learn about them? 31:44.660 --> 31:47.511 - So I learned about them within about an hour 31:47.511 --> 31:50.240 after their test results came in. 31:50.240 --> 31:55.240 That's what you get when you have operationalized 31:55.470 --> 31:57.870 the fight against COVID-19. 31:57.870 --> 31:59.842 We executed our battle drill to standard 31:59.842 --> 32:03.960 and so we can provide you the dates. 32:03.960 --> 32:07.640 But, we report them the same day it happens. 32:07.640 --> 32:12.640 Case 8 is a non-appropriated funds worker 32:13.340 --> 32:17.560 in the Burger King at Camp Walker in Daegu. 32:17.560 --> 32:18.393 And the other one 32:18.393 --> 32:21.746 was a Korean national construction contractor 32:21.746 --> 32:25.143 who's working on one of our new family housing towers 32:25.143 --> 32:27.743 down at Camp Walker. 32:28.580 --> 32:29.588 - [Lucas] Thank you, General. 32:29.588 --> 32:30.421 - Sir, thank you. 32:30.421 --> 32:32.110 Any closing comments for you, sir? 32:33.582 --> 32:36.430 - Yeah. 32:36.430 --> 32:37.630 Hey, thanks very much. 32:37.630 --> 32:39.730 First off, thanks to all of you. 32:39.730 --> 32:42.030 I know many of you are early risers. 32:42.030 --> 32:43.770 But thanks for coming in today 32:43.770 --> 32:46.180 and giving me an opportunity to give you an update 32:46.180 --> 32:48.460 on our fight against COVID-19, 32:48.460 --> 32:50.203 here in the Republic of Korea. 32:51.710 --> 32:54.870 You should be extraordinarily proud 32:54.870 --> 32:59.418 of all American citizens here, everybody in USFK, 32:59.418 --> 33:02.130 your service members, your family members 33:02.130 --> 33:03.540 that are serving over here. 33:03.540 --> 33:05.932 They have been amazingly strong, 33:05.932 --> 33:08.340 amazingly resilient. 33:08.340 --> 33:10.780 Their morale is off the chart. 33:10.780 --> 33:15.731 Connie and I were down in Daegu the first of March or so. 33:15.731 --> 33:17.310 We went all over the place. 33:17.310 --> 33:19.669 We talked to hundreds of people. 33:19.669 --> 33:22.470 They're in a tough situation. 33:22.470 --> 33:26.030 And everybody's making sacrifices, 33:26.030 --> 33:27.920 but everybody's rolled up their sleeves. 33:27.920 --> 33:29.720 We got great community spirit, 33:29.720 --> 33:30.998 great community help. 33:30.998 --> 33:33.670 Everybody's pitching in. 33:33.670 --> 33:37.221 And it's just been absolutely extraordinary. 33:37.221 --> 33:40.290 Next point I'd tell you, in closing out is, 33:40.290 --> 33:42.650 we haven't taken our foot off the gas. 33:42.650 --> 33:45.850 We have predictive models, we're watching them very closely. 33:45.850 --> 33:47.960 And we won't take our foot off the gas 33:47.960 --> 33:50.585 in terms of prevention and mitigation control measures 33:50.585 --> 33:54.350 until I'm absolutely confident that it's safe to do so 33:54.350 --> 33:56.980 for our USFK family. 33:56.980 --> 33:59.100 So, thanks again. 33:59.100 --> 33:59.933 - Thank you, sir. 33:59.933 --> 34:00.766 That concludes our conference. 34:00.766 --> 34:01.680 Thank you for coming. 34:01.680 --> 34:02.970 And thanks to the team behind the scenes 34:02.970 --> 34:04.820 who made this happen on the other side of the world. 34:04.820 --> 34:05.653 Thank you. 34:05.653 --> 34:06.486 Have a great day.