Four offenders have now tested positive
The Virginia Department of Corrections recently announced that the state corrections system has one new COVID-19 case in the incarcerated offender population. This offender is incarcerated at the Central Virginia Correctional Unit 13 for women in Chesterfield.
The Virginia DOC, with about 30,000 incarcerated offenders, now has a total of four inmates with COVID-19. The three other cases are at the Virginia Correctional Center for Women (VCCW) in Goochland.
Statewide, four VADOC employees and one contractor have tested positive for COVID-19. The employees include one officer at the State Farm Correctional Complex; one officer in training at VCCW; one officer at Indian Creek Correctional Center; and one employee at the Norfolk Probation and Parole office. The contractor is a contract nurse at VCCW.
The VADOC is following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for corrections and working closely with the Virginia Department of Health. The VADOC is operating under a Pandemic Response Manual that follows American Correctional Association guidelines. The Department continues to plan for every possible contingency.
Sneeze/cough guard masks manufactured by Virginia Correctional Enterprises have been provided to each staff member and offender. Staff members and offenders are required to wear their VCE masks unless wearing another form of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) mask. The sneeze/cough guard mask is providing an added level of protection but isn’t worn in place of PPE in situations where PPE is required.
All persons entering any VADOC correctional facility are screened using infrared/temporal artery thermometers (forehead thermometers).
While visitation and volunteer activities at correctional facilities are cancelled due to the pandemic, video visitation, email and phone calls are available to offenders.
More information and the latest updates on COVID-19 in the state correctional facilities can be found at https://www.vadoc.virginia.gov/news-press-releases/2020/covid-19-updates/.
- Submitted by Lisa E. Kinney, Communications Director
