CONWAY, SC (WBTW)- Prison officials are working to prevent the potential spread of Covid-19 to inmates and correctional officers.
J. Reuben Long Detention Center Director Marcus Rhodes said luckily at this point they don’t have any coronavirus cases. They’re following CDC and DHEC protocols to prevent the possible spread of the virus to upwards of 40 correctional officers and nearly 700 inmates.
J. Reuben Long is continuing its routine health screenings of any person booked into their jail, but also checking their temperatures. If they show signs of Covid-19 officials said they will act fast.
“We’re going to immediately get them medical attention from our medical staff then make phone calls to DHEC to follow their protocol,” said Rhodes.
Rhodes said they frequently clean heavily used common areas, and urge correctional officers to use general preventative measures like frequent handwashing.
“This is a little different, but it basically follows our guidelines of precautionary prevention of the spread of flu or anything else,” said Rhodes.
A doctor at MUSC said the transmission of coronavirus is typically within six feet. Rhodes said at this time, the jail is not overcrowded and they work to give each other as much space as they can while doing their job.
News 13 asked if needed, would an inmate be quarantined at a medical facility or in the jail.
“We want what’s best for the medical health and physical health of our inmates ,so we would defer that questions to DHEC,” said Rhodes.
News 13 reached out to DHEC to see what they would advise jails to do in the event an inmate needs to be quaratined. At the time of this report, we have not heard back.
Correctional officers are state employees, so we asked the State Department of Administration what it would mean for their sick leave if they have to be quarantined.
The Division of State Human Resources (DSHR) has not created a policy related to Covid-19. DSHR issued a memo to state agencies on Monday which said the Family and Medical Leave Act applies to Covid-19 because it is a “serious health condition”
The Department of Corrections suspended visitation statewide for 30 days due to Covid-19 concerns. J Reuben Long already was using a video visitation system and continues to do so.
