Jefferson Co. Jail Officer Test Positive For COVID-19

Thursday, April 23, 2020 at 10:03 AM

By Kacie Jackson

The officer did not have close contact with any inmates or jail staff for more than 48 hours prior to his presentation of symptoms, which greatly reduces any risk of transmission to others.

File Photo

(Jefferson County, Ind.) – On Wednesday, April 22, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department received lab confirmation that one of the jail officers had tested positive for COVID-19.

The officer last reported for duty on the evening of Wednesday, April 15.

During the COVID-19 screening process in the jails COVID-19 checkpoint, the officer was found to meet the criteria devised by the jails medical staff based on CDC recommendations which denied him access into the facility. The officer did not have close contact with any inmates or jail staff for more than 48 hours prior to his presentation of symptoms, which greatly reduces any risk of transmission to others.

The sheriff’s office wants to ensure the public, as well as the families of the inmates that they are following guidelines set forth by the CDC, and the jails medical site manager has been working diligently over the last month to secure necessary PPE for staff and inmates.

“All officers are wearing gloves and masks as necessary and all areas are being cleaned often in accordance with CDC recommendations. We also have multiple handwashing stations available to workers and inmates as well as an abundance of hand sanitizer,” said Sheriff Thomas.

The sheriff has also waived all medical co-pays for any inmate who may present COVID-19 symptoms, and the jail also has plans of action in place should someone become symptomatic in order to keep them quarantined from other inmates.

For several weeks now, the jail staff has been screening all new book-ins and has been quarantining them for 14 days prior to transferring them to the cell blocks.

“We will continue this process in order to keep out inmates as safe as possible. Our thoughts and prayers go out to our jail officer for a quick and speedy recovery,” said Sheriff Thomas.