With 10 COVID-19 cases in state’s prisons, DeWine set to announce plan to better protect inmates, staff
COLUMBUS (WCMH) – The COVID-19 coronavirus has hit the state’s prisons, and Gov. Mike DeWine said the state is working to fight the spread of the disease there.
On Monday, DeWine said there were 10 inmates who have tested positive for COVID-19, five in Marion County and five in Pickaway County facilities. In addition, 27 staff members across four facilities have tested positive, with most of them being in Marion County.
As of Monday, there have been 49 inmates tested for the virus, with 34 negative results and 5 results pending.
“We kept the COVID virus out of the prison for quite some time, but now it is in some of these prisons,” he said.
The prisons have been conducting coronavirus tests “whenever appropriate” for anyone showing symptoms, DeWine said.
Employees are screened and their temperatures are taken when they arrive for work, the governor said.
Additionally, the prison system has decreased any programming involving people coming into the facilities from outside like religious programming.
Last week, DeWine announced a plan to release 38 specific inmates to prevent them from contracting the virus and to free up some space, a plan he discussed again during his Monday briefing.
“We’re not going to release anyone who is dangerous,” he said. “We aren’t releasing sex offenders, for example. We’re going through the prisoners and taking a look at who might be getting close to release and who is in for a minor offense.”
Freeing the space, DeWine said, would allow prison officials to better deal with the virus situation.
DeWine revealed during the Monday briefing that seven inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 and three inmates have died at the Elkton federal prison in Lisbon.
The National Guard will be deployed to the prison to assist with medical needs only.
DeWine said more will be announced Tuesday about the state’s plan to address the needs of the state’s prisons, specifically citing the prisoner release program.