Coronavirus: DOD Delays PCS/Training, DARPA Develops COVID-19 ‘Shield’

March 12, 2020

-The Pentagon is halting permanent change-of-station (PCS) moves out of areas most impacted by COVID-19, including South Korea and Italy, Military Times reports. The department is considering a policy for global operations as well to contain and mitigate effects of the virus.

“We’re coming to an agreement across the department as far as personnel movements,” said Adm. Bill Byrne. “Especially because the summer move period is coming up soon. So we haven’t decided on the department-wide policy yet.”

-The scheduled African Lion exercise with the DOD’s African partners that was supposed to take place between March 23 and April 3 has been postponed, CQ reported.

-Researchers from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) are working to create antibodies to combat coronavirus using RNA and DNA similar to that of COVID-19. Defense One reports the solution would “trick the body” into producing antibodies to fight the virus. The therapy is expected to be ready by late-summer.
Photo by U.S. Army // Stephanie Froberg, USAMRICD

March 12, 2020

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