The Honor Flight Network, a non-profit organization created to transport veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit and reflect at their memorials, announced that it would be canceling all of its trips through April 30 amid coronavirus concerns.
The "difficult decision" was made after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced an alert adivising adults over the age of 60 to avoid all non-essential air travel. The vast majority of veterans fall into the CDC's high-risk category.
"Honor Flight trips are a once in a lifetime opportunity for America’s veterans, but their safety is our highest priority," a statement from the Honor Flight Network reads. "We will continue to assess if any extension needs to be made beyond April 30 as more information is provided by health authorities."
PHOTOS: Honor Flight bringing veterans to Washington, D.C. for Memorial Day Weekend
130 Honor Flight hubs across 45 states work together to send veterans to Washington, D.C. In 2018 alone, the network flew 2,189 veterans — 2,702 World War II veterans, 7,456 Korean War veterans, 10,272 Vietnam War veterans and 759 veterans from other eras. The efforts are coordinated by an almost entirely volunteer workforce.
VA is a last line of defense in the US against national medical emergencies like pandemics
On Wednesday, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. There are now more than 1,000 cases in the United States and 32 fatalities.
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