HARRISBURG – So far, two inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 at SCI-Phoenix according to Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Secretary John Wetzel, an now one inmate death has been reported. Here in the Central Susquehanna Valley, there are no confirmed cases of coronavirus at area prisons, and steps are being taken to prevent the spread of illness amongst inmates and staff.
Wetzel said all staff started wearing masks two weeks ago and they have really limited movement of inmates, while continuing with virtual visits and phone calls. Wetzel said so far, testing has been going well at all state prisons, “We have testing infrastructure at every one of our prisons. We are partnering with several different labs, some of which have a quicker turnaround time than others. So, testing at this point is not an issue.”
Wetzel explained how they are concentrating their resources at each facility, “Our approach I would say is we are staying consistent with the administration overall. We are really focusing on the areas in communities where cases are growing, because those are areas with bigger risks. You get the overall growth number across the state, and then we drill down to county by county, where staff are are living and what counties our staff are coming in from.”
Meanwhile, four state prison employees have self-reported that they have tested positive for COVID-19. Wetzel did not reveal where those employees worked, citing Department of Health regulations. Employees who test positive for the virus have been instructed to stay home from work until a doctor clears them to return; employees who are awaiting test results have been told to self-quarantine at home.
