#POLK COUNTY JAIL INMATES TRIAL#

The Polk County IA Jail is a medium-security detention center located at 1985 NE 51st Pl Des Moines, IA which is operated locally by the Polk County Sheriff's Office and holds inmates awaiting trial or sentencing or both. “Isolate those who are infected, to quarantine those who are exposed and to be able to protect individuals from transmitting and acquiring infection by two measures especially, vaccinating and masking,” Spaulding said.Polk County IA Jail basic information to help guide you through what you can do for your inmate while they are incarcerated. Most importantly she said we could flatten the curve among inmates with a few additional measures. Spaulding said “decarcerating,” is one way to stop the spread of COVID-19 in detention centers.

Anne Spaulding, Emory University Professor of Epidemiology and Medicine.ĭr. “I would recommend releasing anyone from jail who does not need to be in jail if they are not a threat to public safety,” said Dr. We did some digging and found that 101 inmates currently have COVID-19 in Hillsborough County Jail, out of a total of 2,736 inmates, and in Pinellas County, there are 74 cases out of a population of 2,736. The spike in positive cases is not unique to Polk County Jail. Anyone suggesting that we do not have excellent protocols or practices are incorrect.”Īccording to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, there are currently 93 Polk County inmates that have COVID-19, with a jail population of 3,052. We have had no serious illnesses or hospitalizations because of the recent (December) Omicron variant. If there are positive tests, they are medically quarantined. Any inmate showing symptoms is medically checked and tested if warranted. No inmate is introduced into general population without medical screening. We have a rolling quarantine for all new inmates booked into the jail to keep them separate (in groups) for 14 days (+/-) from the general population until we have enough time to observe any symptoms that might be attributable to COVID-19. Masks are immediately provided and are available to all inmates in jail. “All Polk County Jail inmates coming in are screened and evaluated using the CDC’s screening tool-each inmate is checked medically (temperature, history, questions about symptoms, etc.). And even if you’re not close, in the sense of close proximity, you’re using the same facilities, you're using the same phones,” George said.ĪBC Action News reached out to the Polk County Sheriff's office regarding their COVID protocols. “I don’t see how they haven’t all had it. Trustees perform many daily tasks including laundry, cleaning, and cooking for inmates.Īccording to the CDC COVID-19 Guidance for Correctional Facilities “Incarcerated/detained persons who are close contacts of someone with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, should be placed under quarantine for 14 days.”

She said those infected with the virus were isolated, but those trustees who had been exposed were not placed under quarantine. In the message, his friend who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, explains 14 out of 56 people in the trustee dorm, where she’s placed, tested positive for COVID-19. She said they are putting lives at serious risk,” George said. “The jail’s neglect has caused an outbreak that is quickly spiraling out of control. 1, Eric George received messages from a friend who’s an inmate at the Polk County Jail, describing just how bad a COVID-19 outbreak has gotten at the facility. “It’s not a place you want to get sick,” said Eric George. TAMPA BAY, Fla - COVID-19 is spreading throughout jails in the Tampa Bay area.

Polk county jail inmates