NASA and the Air Force are asking some of their employees to work from home Friday amid concerns of COVID-19. It’s a test of the agencies’ telework systems in case of an outbreak.
It’s a dry run for employees to check the capacity of telework systems in case a potential outbreak of COVID-19 forces agencies to keep employees at home.
The move comes as the CDC is calling on employers to think about plans for employees to work from home -- limiting the potential spread of germs.
Some NASA essential employees will remain at work. That includes staff at Kennedy Space Center in Florida who will support the launch of SpaceX’s dragon capsule which is packed with supplies bound for the International Space Station.
The Air Force headquarters will also conduct a short-notice telework test Friday with some of its workers, although COVID-19 wasn't specifically cited as a reason for the drill.
