Center Status and Updated Center Guidelines for Face Masks

2021-07-29

***Note from Center Director Vanessa Wyche.***

JSC and WSTF Teams,

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention recently issued updated guidance on face masks and social distancing that factor in local pandemic conditions. At this time, the area around Johnson is considered an area of high transmission for COVID-19, while the area around White Sands Test Facility (including El Paso, Texas), is considered an area of moderate transmission. In accordance with the updated federal guidance, Johnson’s guidelines, effective tomorrow, July 29, are as follows:

Johnson: All on-site employees must wear a mask in all buildings, regardless of vaccination status. The mask shall cover the nose and mouth and otherwise be in accordance with current CDC and Occupational Safety and Health Administration guidance.

Face coverings may be removed only:

if an employee is alone in an office with floor-to-ceiling walls and a closed door;
when alone in a vehicle;
for brief periods of eating or drinking; or,
when a face covering creates a real hazard, as determined by center safety and/or occupational health.

White Sands: Fully vaccinated federal employees, on-site contractors, and vaccinated visitors at White Sands are not required to wear face masks or physically distance.

Applicable to employees at both locations:

Unvaccinated employees must continue to wear a face mask and practice physical distancing when on site.
Fully vaccinated people who have a known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 should be tested 3-5 days after exposure.
Unvaccinated persons who test positive should continue to follow the reporting and self-isolation polices previously established.
Large and outdoor gatherings should continue to follow previously defined protocols.
If you are experiencing any symptoms of illness, do not come on site.
Regardless of local conditions, mask requirements, or vaccination status, if you feel more comfortable wearing a mask, that is your choice and it will be respected.

Johnson and White Sands remain in Stage 2 of NASA’s Framework for Return to On-site Work, and are operating in a maximum telework mode, with a 25% occupancy limit for permanent on-site employees at both sites in Houston and New Mexico. Our teams continue to perform mission-critical and mission-essential work on-site as approved by supervisors and we encourage employees who are able to perform their work and conduct meetings virtually to continue doing so.

This is a dynamic situation and guidance will be adjusted as local conditions warrant. The JSC Pandemic Policy will be updated soon and can be found here. It has been, and continues to be, NASA policy that — regardless of local conditions or vaccination status — if you feel more comfortable wearing a mask, that is your choice and it will be respected.

Given the many COVID-19 prevention requirements we have implemented, we should all realize that our policies will change to protect the health of our employees in the most conservative manner. Employees that have questions or concerns about their return to site status and/or mask policy on-site should contact their supervisor or contract manager.

Best,
Vanessa

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