San Diego County Sheriff's Department: COVID-19 County Jails

Encinitas CA

03 December, 2021

9:34 AM

Description

Press release from San Diego County Sheriff's Department: 12/02/2021 5:30 PM Over the last week, the George Bailey Detention Facility (GBDF), Vista Detention Facility (VDF), East Mesa Re-Entry Facility (EMDRF), San Diego Central Jail (SDCJ) and the South Bay Detention Facility (SBDF) identified several people in custody with flu-like symptoms. These individuals were tested for COVID-19 and immediately isolated. Pursuant to medical protocols, affected housing areas were placed in quarantine. The test results came back positive and contact tracing protocols were followed. 413 additional people in custody were tested due to potential contact with the original patients who tested positive. The result of the tests found 125 positive cases and 288 negative cases. 188 results are still pending.  Those who tested positive were checked for symptoms and housed appropriately. Most of the people who were tested are either asymptomatic or have mild symptoms. There are three patients currently in the hospital being treated for COVID-19. Based on these developments, the Sheriff's Detention Services Bureau has returned to a more restrictive environment. This is being done to protect the health of people in custody and staff.  All social visits will be temporarily suspended starting Friday, December 3. Updates regarding in-person and video visitation will be posted on our website:  www.sdsheriff.gov.  All newly arrested people in custody will continue to be quarantined for the first seven days in 7-Day Quarantine Housing where they are monitored daily by medical staff for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. Once the inmate is cleared from the 7-Day quarantine, the Jail Population Management Unit and the Medical Services Division will coordinate the movement of people in custody to regular housing based on their classification. In each COVID-19 positive case, a thorough contact investigation is conducted to identify inmates and staff who may have been exposed.  Those who test positive are isolated for a minimum of 14 days.  If that person is in our custody, they are monitored by Sheriff's medical staff.  Legally required release dates are not extended based on positive or pending COVID-19 test results.  Those released prior to results being available are followed up with by the County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA). Since the beginning of the pandemic, the number of COVID-19 positive individuals in custody has fluctuated between zero to 500 cases. To reduce the spread of COVID-19 in county jails, we have instituted several mitigation strategies, including reducing jail populations through adjusting the booking acceptance criteria and facilitating the early release of sentenced individuals when it does not pose a risk to public safety. Providing the highest quality public safety service is no easy task as we weigh reducing the jail population with the need to separate and isolate those who test positive for COVID-19 in jail.  We also require testing of individuals at intake.  We want to emphasize we strongly encourage all individuals in our care to get vaccinated.   We do this not only one time, but throughout their stay in jail.  To identify positive and exposed individuals, we test and conduct contact tracing investigations.  We immediately isolate individuals who test positive and provide them with proper health care. Our Sheriff's Medical Services Division continues to work diligently to educate and encourage those in our custody to get vaccinated.  We have offered a total of 19,031 vaccinations to in-custody individuals since they first became available in our county jails in early 2021.  To date, 4,096 individuals have accepted the vaccine. We require complete vaccination of our staff who work in medical settings.  Everyone working in jail is required to wear personal protective equipment (masks).  Unvaccinated staff are required to test for COVID-19 weekly. Here is a look at the many other safeguards we have adapted to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in our jails: Vaccines are available to all persons in our custody Temperature checks for everyone entering jail facilities Daily temperature checks of all inmates in custody Increased cleaning and disinfecting Education and awareness for the inmates Identification and isolation of those with symptoms Specific housing units are designated for isolation to separate the sick from the healthy Masks for inmates and staff, as well as limiting movement at all jails Emphasis on handwashing and good hygiene Testing is available and provided to all inmates  Requiring our employees to provide proof of vaccination or test weekly The safety, security, health and well-being of the people in our custody, as well as the deputies and employees who care for them, will always be a priority for the Sheriff's Department.   Visit www.sdsheriff.gov and click on the "COVID-19 Response" slide on our homepage to learn about all the safeguards we have in place to limit the spread of the virus, as well as case and vaccination numbers.   This press release was produced by San Diego County Sheriff's Department. The views expressed here are the author's own.