Fort Riley saw an increase in COVID-19 cases after the holidays but Major General D.A. Sims noted that was anticipated when personnel took holiday block leave. He cited quarantine and restricted movement measures for those personnel as factors in response. "Again as we expected we did a really nice job as a community in shutting down that portion of the virus. So where we did see a spike when we returned from the block leave period we saw that spike start to diminish."
During a recent town hall meeting last week Sims noted that there has been a steady decline in positive rates. He said all the restrictions imposed from dining and gyms off-post to mask wearing and social distancing contributed to the reduction in cases.
Sims said the goals have not changed at Fort Riley. "We're trying to reduce hospitalization rates, we're trying to reduce the spread, ultimately we are working so we don't have any fatalities.
Sims noted that the COVID-19 vaccine has been tested, is safe and effective. "The way to get to the other side of the virus, the real way to get to the other side of the virus is to take the vaccine."