Staff member Loxley Work Center tests positive for COVID

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LOXLEY — The Alabama Department of Corrections will provide free COVID-19 tests next week to ADOC staff and inmates as one staff member at the Loxley Community Based Facility/Community Work Center tested positive last week.

Inmates and staff at four facilities will be tested over a four-day period next week. ADOC is in the process of using fixed and mobile testing sites and testing all inmates in facilities that house large numbers of medically vulnerable inmates.

In addition to the Loxley facility, testing will be conducted for staff and inmates at the North Baldwin Community Based Facility/Community work Center in Decatur and at the Kilby Correctional Facility in Montgomery. Testing for staff only will be conducted at the Fountain Correctional Facility in Atmore.

The ADOC was informed via self-reporting that four staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 as of Oct. 21.

One staff member tested positive at the Loxley facility and at the Childersburg Community Based Facility/Community Work Center, while two staff members tested positive at the North Alabama Community Based Facility/Community Work Center.

These individuals promptly self-quarantined under the direction of their heathcare providers, according to an ADOC release issued Friday.

The ADOC’s Office of Health Services has initiated investigations to determine which, if any, ADOC inmates or employees may have had direct, prolonged exposure to these staff members. Upon completing the appropriate due diligence, OHS will advise any staff with direct exposure to contact their healthcare providers and self-quarantine as advised.

Fifty-five COVID-19 cases among ADOC staff and contracted staff remain active. Three hundred eighty-six staff members who previously self-reported a positive test have been cleared by medical providers to return to work.

The ADOC has confirmed that 19 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 as of Oct. 21, including 14 inmates at the Easterling Correctional Facility in Clio, two inmates at the North Alabama Community Based Facility/Community Work Center and one each at the Draper Quarantine Intake Facility in Elmore, the Montgomery Women’s Facility and the Ventress Correctional Facility in Clayton.

Newly identified positive cases include inmates who are symptomatic and inmates who are asymptomatic. All existing quarantine protocols held in-place or newly implemented as recommended by the ADOC’s contracted State Medical Director are being maintained at each facility where newly identified positive inmates are currently housed.

Five hundred and one total cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed among the state’s inmate population, 68 of which remain active.