How travelers exposed to coronavirus could end up at Great Lakes naval station

Naval Station Great Lakes near North Chicago is one of 11 military bases across the country that could house quarantined travelers exposed to the coronavirus that started in China if already established Department of Health and Human Services facilities become full, according to the Department of Defense.

The 11 bases were chosen because of their proximity to major airports and would house up to 20 “passengers” if necessary, the Defense Department said. Health and Human Services already has primary and secondary locations identified that are not military facilities.

According to a written statement from Great Lakes commander Capt. Raymond Leung, HHS will be responsible for all care, transportation and security of the patients, and military personnel will not be in direct contact with them. If an evacuee becomes ill, that person will be taken to a civilian medical facility, Leung wrote.

HHS will also ensure that no one determined to be infected or ill will be taken to a military facility, the statement reads.

“While we do not have a timeline or any confirmation at this time of any personnel arriving to Great Lakes, my team is well postured to support the DoD and HHS,” Leung wrote in the Feb. 7 statement.

“Outbreaks like this can naturally cause concern,” he said. “I want to ensure everyone in our Great Lakes family that we are prepared should we be selected to receive our fellow Americans.”

Other bases chosen include JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii; Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Texas; March Air Reserve Base in California; Travis Air Force Base in California; Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Georgia; Fort Hamilton in New York; Naval Base Kitsap in Washington; Joint Base Anacostia in Washington, D.C.; Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey; and Fort Custer Training Center in Michigan.