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<p><strong>From staff reports&nbsp;</strong></p>
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<p>As a result of an updated mask guidance for all Department of Defense Installations issued by the Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks on July 28, masks are once again required in indoor settings aboard MCAS Beaufort and MCRD Parris Island.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Both installations made the changes known via their official Facebook pages.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>“In areas of substantial or high community transmission, DoD requires all Service members, Federal employees, onsite contractor employees and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, to wear a mask in an indoor setting in installations and other facilities owned, leased or otherwise controlled by DoD,” the memorandum reads.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>“Service members, Federal employees, onsite contractor employees, and visitors who are not fully vaccinated also need to continue to physically distance consistent with applicable CDC ad DoD Force Health Protection guidance.”&nbsp;</p>
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<p><em>Mike McCombs is the editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com. </em></p>
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