The Burlington (Vermont) Free Press reported Wednesday, Aug. 5, that 147 Vermont inmates held at the Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility in Tutwiler have tested positive for COVID-19.
Citing the Vermont Department of Corrections, the Free Press wrote that 219 Vermont inmates are currently held at the CoreCivic lockup in Mississippi. Of those, 147 have tested positive, 62 have tested negative, eight have refused testing and two tests are still pending.
The newspaper noted that the Vermont inmates in Tutwiler were tested after six inmates returning to Vermont tested positive last week during intake at the Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility in Rutland.
A Monday Free Press story reported that 85 Vermont inmates housed in Tutwiler had tested positive for the virus over the weekend, with other test results pending.
That story, by Free Press staff writer Elizabeth Murray, added:
“Teams from VTDOC and CoreCivic are working around the clock to implement the Vermont model of mitigation at TCCF and ensure the continued safety of the inmates housed there,” wrote Vermont Corrections Commissioner Jim Baker in a statement.
Until Wednesday, Aug. 5, Mississippi did not have a statewide mask mandate. However, a number of counties already had their own mask mandates. One of those counties was Tallahatchie County.
The Mississippi facility has been following health guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which have evolved over time, said CoreCivic spokesman Ryan Gustin. He said the prison company is working with Vermont officials to enhance procedures as needed.
Gustin said the Vermont inmates recently transferred back from Mississippi were screened for symptoms before they left the facility.
“None of the inmates showed any symptoms consistent with COVID-19,” Gustin wrote in an email Monday. “Once we learned of these positive cases, we placed the housing pods that these inmates were transferred from on a medical isolation/quarantine status. Onsite medical staff are performing twice-daily symptom and temperature checks on the Vermont inmates.”
All staff and inmates received face masks in April, and staff are required to wear them, Gustin said.
Inmates have also been educated about health and hygiene habits, and there are rules in place for staff as well, including social distancing, staying home when sick, having a temperature check and COVID-19 screening when entering the facility, and disinfecting equipment and frequently touched surfaces.
There is also a Coronavirus Medical Action Plan in place at each of CoreCivic’s facilities, Gustin said. These plans include having medical staff participate in inmate intake to identify those at a higher risk of being infected, isolating those deemed high-risk as needed, and working with state and local health officials to conduct testing.
Editor's note: The paragraph about the statewide mask mandate was edited and updated. When the initial story was written Monday, no statewide mask mandate was in place. Gov. Tate Reeves issued an order for the mandate on Tuesday, and it took effect Wednesday morning.
IN THE PHOTO: Nearly 150 Vermont inmates held at the Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility in Tutwiler have tested positive for COVID-19. (Sun-Sentinel file photo by Clay McFerrin)
