May 19, 2020 – A Coronavirus Update from Kevin Graney

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Hi everyone, today is Tuesday, May 19. (Click here for podcast.)

We have one additional positive case of COVID-19 to report since my last podcast on Friday. The individual works in department 902 at Quonset Point in Building 60. It’s our understanding the individual was hospitalized for an issue unrelated to COVID, but because all patients admitted to hospitals are now automatically tested, this person’s COVID-positive status was identified. The person was tested on May 13, and their last day of work was also May 13.

We’ve now completed more than 4,500 tests for COVID-19 antigens and antibodies. We are evaluating the data and have identified only two new cases of COVID-19, and I’ve previously reported both of those. If you work at the Groton shipyard and missed your scheduled test slot, I strongly encourage you to come in for our last make-up session this Thursday, May 21 in the Bldg. 88 Tech Center third-floor conference room. For those of you working from home, more advanced notice about this additional session should enable you to make arrangements, such as child care, so that you can come in and get tested.

Tomorrow the state of Connecticut begins its phased reopening allowing offices, retail stores, outdoor museums and zoos to reopen with certain restrictions, along with outdoor restaurant dining. Our next milestone here at EB, as we continue to Recover with Resilience, is this coming Saturday, May 23rd, which marks the last day of the Blue/Gold shift rotation in the Groton shipyard. I’ve talked to a good number of our trades folks over the last few days and, from what people shared with me, most were pleased to get back to more of a routine schedule. Stopping this rotation will restore some normalcy back to people’s lives, and maintaining our practices for testing, personal hygiene, social distancing, cleaning and mask wearing help ensure we can do it safely. Our combined effort and teamwork have resulted in very low numbers of COVID-19 cases over the last several weeks and no large-scale person-to-person spread – all of that while we’ve been able to meet some important mission objectives.

Another reason we are restoring more of a normal production schedule is because we have received more modules in Groton, allowing us to spread the team across a larger area. We also expect to be floating off the 793 boat in the coming days, providing us another opportunity to spread our people out across the shipyard. Spreading people out AND continuing our COVID safety and distancing protocols allows us to safely resume more normal shift work-hours and weekly workday schedules in Groton.

Although we’re returning to normal shifts in Groton, we are still continuing COVID protocols like working from home and shift work for the design and engineering team in New London. We are also continuing to require the use of face coverings in the shipyard and buildings and will continue to frequently clean high-traffic areas. We continue to stagger lunch periods and will keep up the Wet Dock tent to better spread people out during lunchtime. Mobile handwashing stations will remain in place and hand sanitizer will be readily available throughout our facilities. We will continue to have a one-hour time gap between shifts to clean and ensure people leaving one shift do not cross paths with those arriving in the next. In the event there is a positive case of COVID-19, we will continue to conduct contact tracing and testing, and of course we will continue to pass information so that the team can stay well informed.

Thank you for continuing to be vigilant in monitoring your own health. Remember, if you don’t feel well, please do not come to work.

Thanks for listening.

Kevin

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