Ellsworth AFB declares public health emergency

Ellsworth AFB is declaring a public health emergency to better align with the declared national public emergency, South Dakota preventative measures, and Center for Disease Control guidance.

While there are still no positive COVID-19 cases on the installation, the declaration allows the installation commander additional authority to enforce social distancing. This includes providing additional telework opportunities, expanding the civilian leave policy and further restricting base access if required.

Ellsworth members and families should follow Center for Disease Control guidelines, avoid gatherings of 10 or more people, and practice social distancing and good personal hygiene. Base leadership is continually monitoring the situation and will provide Airmen and families with up-to-date information on appropriate measures to prevent potential spread of the virus, as well as any impact to the mission.

The Department of Defense and Ellsworth AFB will continue to follow the guidance from the CDC for this outbreak and will continually assess the need for these access restrictions and adjust accordingly as the situation evolves. For the latest base specific information on COVID-19, visit

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