COVID-19 TESTING:

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NAVADMIN 178/20

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INFO SECNAV WASHINGTON DC//CNO//
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SUBJ/COVID-19 TESTING//

REF/A/MEMO/OSD/18MAY20//
REF/B/MSG/172057ZZJUN20//
REF/C/MEMO/OSD/11JUN20//
REF/D/MEMO/OSD/11JUN20//
REF/E/MSG/201856ZMAY20//

NARR/REF A IS DOD COVID-19 TASK FORCE MEMORANDUM, TESTING AND REPORTING OF 
DOD COVID-19 SCREENING.
REF B IS NAVADMIN 173/20, U.S. NAVY COVID-19 STANDARDIZED OPERATIONAL 
GUIDANCE VERSION 2.
REF C IS USD P&R FORCE HEALTH PROTECTION GUIDANCE SUPP 10, DOD GUIDANCE FOR
COVID-19 CLINICAL LABORATORY DIAGNOSTIC TESTING SERVICES.
REF D IS USD P&R FORCE HEALTH PROTECTION GUIDANCE SUPP 11, DOD GUIDANCE FOR 
COVID-19 SURVEILLANCE SCREENING AND TESTING.
REF E IS NAVADMIN 147/20, GUIDANCE TO COMMANDERS ON ADJUSTING HEALTH 
PROTECTION CONDITIONS AND BASE SERVICES.// POC/RADM KARL THOMAS/OPNAV 
N3N5B/703-692-9291/karl.o.thomas1@navy.mil//

RMKS/1.  THIS NAVADMIN PROMULGATES NAVYS SENTINEL SURVEILLANCE TESTING (SST) 
STRATEGY FOR COVID-19.  IT FORMALIZES THE PROCESS TO REQUEST DOD TESTING 
CAPACITY FOR NAVY FORCES AND THE REQUIREMENT TO REPORT THE USE OF THOSE 
REQUESTED TESTS PER REF A. THIS NAVADMIN SHOULD BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH 
REF B (COVID-19 STANDARDIZED OPERATIONAL GUIDANCE (SOG) VERSION 2.0), AS 
TOGETHER THEY SUPPORT REF C AND NAVYS DIAGNOSTIC TESTING APPROACH.  IT 
FORMALIZES SURVEILLANCE TESTING AS DIRECTED IN REF D, AND PROVIDES 
SUPPLEMENTAL GUIDANCE TO REF E, PARAGRAPH 4.C.4. TESTING FOR COVID-19 HAS 
THREE PRIMARY BENEFITS: (1) TESTING CAN UNCOVER ASYMPTOMATIC COVID-POSITIVE 
INDIVIDUALS WHO COULD UNWITTINGLY SPREAD THE VIRUS, (2) TESTING CAN ASSIST IN 
BOUNDING AN OUTBREAK, AND (3) SURVEILLANCE TESTING CAN BE USED TO DETECT 
DISEASE EARLY (A SECOND WAVE OR RESURGENCE).
TESTING ALSO REINFORCES PUBLIC HEALTH MITIGATION MEASURES AND INFORMS OUR 
UNDERSTANDING OF COVID-19 TRANSMISSION.

2.  REF B, U.S. NAVY COVID-19 STANDARDIZED OPERATIONAL GUIDANCE (SOG) VERSION
2.0, PROVIDES GUIDANCE FOR DEPLOYING FORCES THROUGHOUT THE OPTIMIZED FLEET 
RESPONSE PLAN (OFRP).  THE GOAL IS TO MINIMIZE THE TRANSMISSION OF COVID-19 
ACROSS THE FORCE AND ULTIMATELY CREATE A COVID FREE BUBBLE AROUND UNITS PRIOR 
TO AND WHILE DEPLOYED.  REF B AND MANY OF OUR PREVENTATIVE EFFORTS HAVE BEEN 
FOCUSED ON COVID-FREE DEPLOYABLE UNITS.  WE NOW HAVE SUFFICIENT TESTING 
CAPACITY TO EXPAND OUR EFFORTS MORE BROADLY ACROSS OUR NAVY.  THIS EXPANDED 
EFFORT TO PROTECT OUR FORCE INVOLVES TESTING ASYMPTOMATIC POPULATIONS TO 
DETECT DISEASE EARLY AND FOCUS PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS.  THIS IS TERMED 
SENTINEL SURVEILLANCE TESTING (SST).

3.  SST IS DESIGNED TO BREAK THE CHAIN OF DISEASE TRANSMISSION.  IN ADDITION 
TO THE ROM-SEQUESTER TESTING FOR DEPLOYING OPERATIONAL FORCES AND ACCESSIONS, 
OUR NAVY WILL EXPAND TESTING INTO OTHER ASYMPTOMATIC POPULATIONS WITH A FOCUS 
ON THOSE WHO HAVE A HIGHER LIKELIHOOD OF INFECTION.

3.A.  REF D DIRECTS DOD COMPONENTS TO TEST: (1) 10 PERCENT OF CLINICAL HEALTH 
CARE PERSONNEL EVERY 14 DAYS (20 PERCENT PER MONTH); (2) 10 PERCENT OF 
SELECTED POPULATIONS LIVING IN CLOSE SETTINGS EVERY 14 DAYS (20 PERCENT PER 
MONTH) AND
(3) AS TESTING RESOURCES INCREASE 1 PERCENT, OF INSTALLATION/UNIT POPULATIONS 
EVERY 14 DAYS.

3.B.  NAVY WILL PHASE INTO THE ABOVE PERCENTAGES AS TESTING CAPACITY BECOMES 
AVAILABLE AND OUR PROCESSES ARE REFINED.  WE WILL START BY FOCUSING ON 
POPULATIONS WITH HIGHER RISK FOR INFECTION AND TRANSMISSION.

3.C.  FDA EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION FOR REVERSE TRANSCRIPTION-POLYMERASE 
CHAIN REACTION TESTING IS AUTHORIZED FOR USE IN EXECUTION OF SST.

4.  SST CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS.

4.A.  TESTING POPULATIONS.  NAVY WILL TEST:

4.A.1.  THOSE POPULATIONS WITH AN INCREASED RISK OF INFECTION AND SUBSEQUENT 
TRANSMISSION TO INCLUDE HEALTH CARE WORKERS, TEAMS WHO FREQUENTLY VISIT A 
VARIETY OF COMMANDS (E.G. ATG, NPEB, DGSIT ETC.), SECURITY FORCE PERSONNEL AT 
ENTRY CONTROL POINTS, CDC WORKERS, GALLEY EMPLOYEES, BRIGS (STAFF AND
PERSONNEL) ETC.

4.A.2.  LEARNING CENTERS AND SCHOOL HOUSES (INSTRUCTORS AND STUDENTS), NAVSEA 
FLEET ACTIVITIES AND AVIATION FLEET READINESS CENTERS.

4.A.3.  OPERATIONAL UNIT POPULATIONS DURING MAINTENANCE, BASIC AND 
SUSTAINMENT PHASES OF OFRP.

4.A.4.  HIGH DENSITY OFFICE PERSONNEL (E.G. OPNAV STAFF, FLEET HQS, TYCOM HQ, 
NAVSEA AND NAVAIR).

4.B.  CONDUCT OF TESTING.  THE TESTING SHOULD BE CONDUCTED AND REPORTED IN 14 
DAY INCREMENTS.  IDEALLY, TESTING WILL BE SPREAD ACROSS THE REPORTING PERIOD 
AND GEOGRAPHICALLY DIVERSE TO GIVE THE WIDEST OPPORTUNITY TO SENSE TRENDS.  
IF LOGISTICS DICTATE, THE POPULATION BEING TESTED MAY ALL BE TESTED IN ONE 
DAY, SPLIT UNIFORMLY ACROSS THE 14 DAYS,  OR ANY VARIATION AS LONG AS THE 
TARGET SURVEILLANCE NUMBER IS ATTAINED AND RESULTS REPORTED EVERY 14 DAYS.

4.C.  PHASED APPROACH TO DOD GOAL.  TO REFINE THE EXECUTION OF THIS EFFORT, 
NAVY WILL PHASE-IN THE EXECUTION TO ALLOW COLLECTING AND PROMULGATING LESSONS 
LEARNED.

5.  SST EXECUTION.

5.A.  SST PHASE 1.  25 JUNE - 23 JULY; REPORTS DUE 9 JULY AND 23 JULY (14 DAY 
INTERVALS). OBJECTIVE IS 900 TESTS ACROSS THE NAVY ENTERPRISE EVERY TWO 
WEEKS.

5.A.1.  OPNAV WILL TEST 20 PERSONNEL WITHIN N3N5.

5.A.2.  BUMED WILL TEST 150 CLINICAL HEALTHCARE WORKERS AT 3 MTFS WITHIN EACH 
MEDFOR REGION.

5.A.3.  CNIC WILL TEST 100 SECURITY FORCE PERSONNEL ACROSS 2 CNIC REGIONS.

5.A.4.  CPF AND FFC WILL EACH TEST 190 PERSONNEL FROM AT LEAST 6 SHIPS/SUBS/ 
AVIATION SQUADRONS/CSU POOLS WHO ARE IN THE MAINTENANCE, BASIC OR SUSTAINMENT 
PHASE OF OFRP AND 1 TEAM DESCRIBED IN PARA 4.A.1.

5.A.5.  THE CHIEF OF NAVAL PERSONNEL (CNP) WILL TEST 200 PERSONNEL FROM 
STAFF/INSTRUCTORS AT SCHOOLHOUSESAND LEARNING CENTERS IN FLEET CONCENTRATION 
AREAS AND BRIGS (STAFF AND PRISONERS).

5.A.6.  NAVSEA WILL CONDUCT 30 TESTS AT NAVSEA FIELD ACTIVITIES/HQ STAFFS AND 
NAVAIR WILL CONDUCT 20 TESTS AT FLEET READINESS CENTERS (FRC)/HQ STAFFS.

5.B.  SST PHASE 2.  23 JULY - 6 AUGUST; REPORTS DUE 6 AUGUST (SINGLE 14 DAY 
INTERVAL). OBJECTIVE IS 1720 TESTS ACROSS THE NAVY ENTERPRISE.

5.B.1.  OPNAV WILL TEST 50 PERSONNEL WITHIN N2N6, N4, AND N9.

5.B.2.  BUMED WILL TEST 700 CLINICAL HEALTHCARE WORKERS ACROSS ALL MTFS.

5.B.3.  CNIC WILL TEST 100 SECURITY FORCE PERSONNEL ACROSS 2 CNIC REGIONS.

5.B.4.  CPF AND FFC WILL EACH TEST 20 PERSONNEL FROM 1 TEAM DESCRIBED IN PARA

4.A.1 AND 30 PERSONNEL WITHIN HQ STAFFS.

5.B.5.  CNP WILL TEST 320 PERSONNEL FROM WITHIN STAFF/INSTRUCTORS AT 
SCHOOLHOUSES AND LEARNING CENTERS IN FLEET CONCENTRATION AREAS, HIGH 
INTENSITY COURSES, AND BRIGS (STAFF AND PRISONERS).

5.B.6.  NAVCENT AND NAVEUR WILL EACH TEST 10 PERSONNEL WITHIN HQ STAFFS AND
160 PERSONNEL TOTAL FROM IN-PORT OPERATIONAL UNITS.

5.B.7.  NAVSEA WILL CONDUCT 180 TESTS AT NAVSEA FIELD ACTIVITIES/HQ STAFFS 
AND NAVAIR WILL CONDUCT 120 TESTS AT FRCS/HQ STAFFS.

5.C.  SST PHASE 3 (FULL IMPLEMENTATION).  COMMENCES 6 AUGUST. REPORTS DUE 
EVERY
14 DAYS UNTIL TERMINATED. OBJECTIVE IS 3000 TESTS ACROSS NAVY ENTERPRISE 
EVERY TWO WEEKS.

5.C.1.  OPNAV WILL TEST 20 PERSONNEL WITHIN 1 DIRECTORATE.

5.C.2.  BUMED WILL TEST 700 CLINICAL HEALTHCARE WORKERS ACROSS ALL MTFS.

5.C.3.  CNIC WILL TEST 300 SECURITY FORCE PERSONNEL ACROSS ALL CNIC REGIONS 
AND TEST 100 MISSION CRITICAL OR HIGH RISK PERSONNEL ACROSS ALL REGIONS.

5.C.4.  CPF AND FFC WILL EACH TEST 250-300 PERSONNEL FROM AT LEAST
10 SHIPS/SUBS/AVIATION SQUADRONS/CSU POOLS WHO ARE IN THE MAINTENANCE, BASIC 
OR SUSTAINMENT PHASE OF OFRP AND 30-80 PERSONNEL FROM THE POPULATIONS 
DESCRIBED IN PARA 4.A.1 AND 4.A.4.

5.C.5.  CNP WILL TEST 500 PERSONNEL FROM WITHIN STAFF/INSTRUCTORS AT 
SCHOOLHOUSES AND LEARNING CENTERS IN FLEET CONCENTRATION AREAS, HIGH 
INTENSITY COURSES, BRIGS (STAFF AND PRISONERS) AND RECRUITING PERSONNEL.

5.C.6.  NAVCENT AND NAVEUR WILL EACH TEST 20 PERSONNEL WITHIN HQ STAFFS AND 
160 PERSONNEL FROM IN-PORT OPERATIONAL UNITS.

5.C.7.  NAVSEA WILL CONDUCT 300 TESTS AT NAVSEA FIELD ACTIVITIES/HQ STAFFS 
AND NAVAIR WILL CONDUCT 220 TESTS AT FRCS/HQ STAFFS.

6.  SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS.

6.A.  TESTING CAPACITY. ALTHOUGH AVAILABLE AT THE DOD LEVEL, NAVY 
ACKNOWLEDGES CAPABILITY AND CAPACITY FOR SURVEILLANCE TESTING AND MONITORING 
PROGRAMS VARIES AMONG INSTALLATIONS AND UNITS DUE TO CURRENT LIMITATIONS ON 
EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES, AND PERSONNEL RESOURCES.  TEST CAPACITY SHOULD BE 
PRIORITIZED FOR TIER 0 SITUATIONS (CLINICAL CARE AND OUTBREAK RESPONSE).

6.A.1.  LOGISTICS AND TRANSPORT. FOR REMOTE, DEPLOYED, OR UNDERWAY UNITS 
WITHOUT INTRINSIC TESTING CAPABILITIES BUT WITH THE ABILITY TO COLLECT 
SAMPLES, SURVEILLENCE TESTING PERIODICITY MAY BE ADJUSTED TO REFLECT THE 
TIMING AND AVAILABILITY OF COLD-CHAIN TRANSPORT OF SAMPLES TO THE TESTING 
FACILITIES.

6.B.  INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE PREVIOUSLY COVID-POSITIVE. VIROLOGY TESTING HAS 
DEMONSTRATED AN INDIVIDUAL PREVIOUSLY INFECTED WITH COVID-19 WITHIN THE PAST 
EIGHT WEEKS MAY TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 EVEN AFTER THE VIRUS IS DEAD (NON-
CONTAGIOUS).  THESE INDIVIDUALS SHOULD NOT BE TESTED WITHIN THIS TWO MONTH 
PERIOD GIVEN THE POTENTIAL FOR A FALSE POSITIVE TEST.

6.C.  ELIGIBILITY FOR TESTING.  PER REF C, SERVICE MEMBERS MAY BE TESTED WHEN 
IN A TITLE 10 OR TITLE 32 DUTY STATUS.  CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES MAY BE OFFERED 
TESTING IF THEIR SUPERVISOR DETERMINES THEIR PRESENCE IS URGENTLY REQUIRED 
WITHIN THEIR WORKPLACE.  FAMILY MEMBERS ELIGIBLE FOR MILITARY HEALTH SYSTEM 
BENEFITS MAY BE OFFERED TESTING.  EMPLOYEES OF DOD CONTRACTORS WILL USE THE 
PROCESSES FOR MEDICAL CARE TO ACCESS TESTING AS SET FORTH IN THE TERMS OF THE 
CONTRACT UNDER WHICH THEY ARE PERFORMING. NAVY CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES AND 
FAMILIES OF UNIFORMED MEMBERS WILL NOT BE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT TO A COVID-19 
SURVEILLANCE TEST IF THEY DO NOT DESIRE TO PARTICIPATE.  HOWEVER, VOLUNTEERS 
ARE ENCOURAGED AND WELCOME TO DO SO.

6.D.  COMMANDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SELECT TESTING POPULATIONS THAT BEST 
BENEFIT THEIR THREAT AWARENESS, COHORT PROTECTION, AND SST NEEDS.  AMONGST 
THE CHOSEN POPULATIONS, SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS SHOULD BE SELECTED AT RANDOM. IF 
AN INDIVIDUAL IS RANDOMLY SELECTED MORE THAN ONCE, COMMANDERS MAY PICK 
ALTERNATIVES OR SUBSTITUTES TO REPLACE THESE INDIVIDUALS.

6.E.  PER REF C, ENSURE APPROPRIATE INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL 
PROCEDURES ARE FOLLOWED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE TESTING PROCESS.  THIS INCLUDES 
EMPLOYING THE APPROPRIATE BIOSAFETY PRECAUTIONS WHEN COLLECTING, HANDLING AND 
TRANSPORTING SPECIMENS, CONSISTENT WITH CDC GUIDANCE.

6.F.  PER REF D, SERVICE MEMBERS WHO ARE TESTED WILL RECEIVE THEIR TEST 
RESULTS.  COVID-19 POSITIVE TEST RESULTS WILL BE REPORTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH 
ALL APPLICABLE FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND DOD REQUIREMENTS AND RECORDED IN 
MEMBERS ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD.

6.G.  OPERATIONAL UNITS THAT HAVE DEVELOPED A COVID-FREE BUBBLE NEED NOT 
CONDUCT SURVEILLANCE TESTING AS LONG AS BUBBLE-TO-BUBBLE TRANSFERS AND 
RIGOROUS PREVENTATIVE PUBLIC HEALTH MITIGATION MEASURES HAVE BEEN 
IMPLEMENTED.

7.  HPCON AND TESTING.  BROAD IMPLEMENTATION OF ASYMPTOMATIC SURVEILLANCE 
TESTINGIS NOT REQUIRED TO BEGIN LOWERING HPCON LEVELS PER REF E, PARAGRAPH

4.C.4. AS TESTING CAPACITY INCREASES, A ROBUST SST AND MONITORING PROGRAM 
WILL CONTRIBUTE OBJECTIVE DATA ON COVID-19 PREVALENCE AND ASSISTS IN 
PRESERVING FORCE READINESS AND ASSESSING HPCON LEVELS.  NAVAL COMPONENT 
COMMANDERS (NCCS) REMAIN RESPONSIBLE FOR DETERMINING APPROPRIATE HPCON LEVELS 
AND MEASURES GIVEN THE LOCAL OPERATING AND HEALTHCARE THREAT ENVIRONMENT. 
VIGILANT ACTIVE  AND PASSIVE SURVEILLANCE OF INFLUENZA-LIKE ILLNESS AND 
COVID-19-LIKE ILLNESS IS SUFFICIENT UNTIL RESOURCES AND ADDITIONAL DATA 
PERMIT IMPLEMENTATION OF WIDESPREAD SST AND MONITORING PROGRAMS.

8.  DEPLOYED DIAGNOSTIC TESTING.  NAVY HAS DEPLOYED BIOFIRE TESTING 
CAPABILITY ONBOARD CVNS/LHAS/LHDS/SSBNS AND SOME LPDS.  THESE MACHINES SHOULD 
BE USED FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OF SYMPTOMATIC INDIVIDUALS.

9. RAPID RESPONSE FLY-AWAY TEAMS.  NAVY HAS POSITIONED ABBOTT ID NOW RAPID 
TESTING MACHINES WITH NAVY ENVIRONMENTAL AND PREVENTIVE MEDICINE UNITS AND/OR 
PUBLIC HEALTH MEDICAL READINESS RESPONSE TEAMS AT SELECTED LOCATIONS AROUND 
THE GLOBE. SHOULD AN OPERATIONAL SHIP OR SUBMARINE HAVE AN OUTBREAK THAT 
REQUIRES EXTERNAL ASSISTANCE, NCCS HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO UTILIZE THESE 
MACHINES WITH LOCAL MEDICAL TEAMS TO EXECUTE A RAPID RESPONSE.

10.  REQUESTING TESTING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

10.A.1.  TIER 1-3 FORCES.  PROCESSES ARE IN PLACE FOR NCCS TO REQUEST DOD 
TESTING CAPACITY THROUGH THE CNO BWC TO THE JCS COVID TESTING CELL PER REF A.
REQUESTS FOR OPERATIONAL TESTING ACROSS THE NEXT60 DAYS WILL BE PROVIDED TO 
THE CNO BWC EACH FRIDAY, WHERE THEY WILL BE AGGREGATED AND SUBMITTED TO THE 
DOD COVID-19 TASK FORCE TESTING LINE OF EFFORT (CVTF-D&T).  SIMILARLY, TESTS 
ACCOMPLISHED THE PRIOR WEEK WILL ALSO BE SUBMITTED TO THE CNO BWC FOR 
AGGREGATION AND FORWARDING TO CVTF-D&T.  TESTS THAT ARE REQUESTED SHOULD BE 
UTILIZED TO ASSIST IN BALANCING TEST DISTRIBUTION AND EFFICIENT USE OF 
LIMITED ASSETS.  THIS BECOMES EVEN MORE IMPORTANT WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 
SST.

10.A.2.  SST REPORTING DEADLINES.  NCCS, BUMED, N1, AND CNIC WILL PROVIDE SST 
REQUIREMENTS AND TESTING COMPLETED EVERY THURSDAY NLT 1400 EST TO CNO BWC FOR 
CONSOLIDATION WITH TIER 1-3 INPUTS.

11.  MEDICAL TESTING QUESTIONS: BUMED WATCH 703-681-1087/1125 OR NIPR EMAIL:
usn.ncr.bumedfchva.list.bumed---2019-ncov-response-cell@mail.mil.  TEST 
REQUEST OR REPORTING QUESTIONS: OPNAV BATTLE WATCH CAPTAIN AT 703-692-9284, 
DSN 222-9284 OR bwc.ptgn@navy.mil. SURVEILLANCE TESTING FEEDBACK:
RADM KARL THOMAS, karl.o.thomas1@navy.mil OR CAPT RON STOWE, 
ronald.stowe@navy.mil.

12.  RELEASED BY VADM P. G. SAWYER, DEPUTY CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS FOR 
OPERATIONS, PLANS AND STRATEGY N3/N5//

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