Alabama prison officials announced Friday they are halting intake of inmates from the state’s county jails for the next month.
ADOC spokeswoman Samantha Rose said prison officials are working closely with Gov. Kay Ivey’s Coronavirus Task Force, the Alabama Department of Public Health and infectious disease control experts to mitigate the spread of the virus. The 30-day moratorium includes, but is not limited to, new commitments, court returns, and parolees and probationers who are revoked or sanctioned.
Rose said during this time, ADOC will continue to receive inmates with severe medical or mental health conditions, subject to the usual review process by the Department’s Office of Health Services. However, additional health screenings will be implemented at the facility level to ensure any inmate is not symptomatic prior to entry.
Additionally, she said, they are implementing system-wide preventative measures to keep the virus from entering the prisons. Effective immediately, the ADOC will extend both inmate yard time and snack line services at all our facilities. Other protocol adjustments remain under consideration for possible implementation.
ADOC officials on Thursday announced that an administrative employee tested positive for COVID-19. All those who were in direct contact with that employee remain in a 14-day self-quarantine and are being monitored by health authorities. The department has not announced any inmates testing positive for the virus.