Eight ADOC Employees Test Positive for COVID-19
The Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) was informed via self-reporting that three (3) staff members employed at Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women in Wetumpka, two (2) staff members employed at Frank Lee Community Based Facility/Community Work Center in Deatsville, one (1) staff member employed at Kilby Correctional Facility in Montgomery, one (1) staff member employed at Bullock Correctional Facility in Union Springs, and one (1) staff member employed at Ventress Correctional Facility in Clayton, have tested positive for COVID-19. These eight (8) individuals promptly self-quarantined under the direction of their healthcare providers.
The ADOC’s Office of Health Services (OHS) initiated an investigation to determine which, if any, ADOC inmates or employees may have had direct, prolonged exposure to these staff members. Upon completing the appropriate follow-up interviews and due diligence, OHS will advise any exposed staff members to contact their healthcare providers and self-quarantine for the recommended 14-day period, or as advised by their healthcare providers.
Forty-three (43) cases among ADOC staff and contracted staff remain active. Eight (8) staff members who previously self-reported a positive test have been cleared by medical providers to return to work.
The ADOC, as of 12:00 p.m. CDT today, has not confirmed any additional positive tests among its inmate population.
We understand that many are eager for certain activities, such as visitation and volunteer entry, to resume in accordance with Governor Kay Ivey’s current and future executive orders, and accordingly there are questions about when the ADOC’s temporary suspension of these activities will be lifted.
The Department currently is working on a comprehensive plan to resume some facility operations thoughtfully, including visitation and volunteer entry, but has not yet established a definitive timeline. Once established, the Department’s intent is to keep the public apprised of our anticipated plans and timeline to resume these activities safely in a manner that minimizes the risk of exposure to the virus.
A primary goal and concern of the ADOC is protecting the safety, security, and well-being of our inmates, staff, and the public during these unprecedented times. We continue to monitor COVID-19’s evolving impact closely on our correctional system, the state, and the country while we assess and analyze additional data in order to make informed and strategic operational decisions.
The ADOC appreciates the public’s understanding of the complexities associated with safely resuming these activities during a pandemic, and we ask for continued patience as we work diligently toward a safe and effective solution.
