US Air Force Closes Ramstein Air Base Gate Amid Pandemic, Removes Reusable Bags from Grocery Stores

A number of precautionary measures in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic have been taken by US authorities. Unsurprisingly, some of them applied to the largest US military community in Europe, following an increasing number of reported coronavirus cases among American military personnel in different parts of the world.

The East Gate to American Ramstein Air Base located in Germany has been closed indefinitely since 1 am Wednesday, Stars and Stripes reported. The measure came as a result of reduced traffic to the base following a number of anti-coronavirus orders prompting personnel to work less or using teleworking methods, officials cited by the outlet revealed.

A spokesperson for the 86th Airlift Wing, Sandra Archer, said that the “closure was done “in the best interest” of the base’s gate guards and argued that another LVIS gate would still remain open for twelve hours each day from Monday to Friday, while the West Gate is going to be open on a 24-hour basis.

Another precautionary measure in Ramstein, introduced by the Defence Commissary Agency operating groceries stores for the US military members, included removing reusable shopping bags from checkouts in global commissionaires in order to “limit risks” from the coronavirus spread.

The postal services have also been severely restricted in Ramstein to operate only on certain days and between specific hours in order to “decrease exposure” for customers and post office members and to allow people to “stay healthy” the base’s postal officials said.  

The developments come after several cases of coronavirus were reported among American military personnel, including those among Air Force personnel last month. There are currently around 73,000 cases of coronavirus infection registered in Germany and more than 189,000 in the United States, according to Johns Hopkins University data on 1 April.