Pandemic measures ending at county jail

Melissa Klaric, The Herald, Sharon, Pa.
·3 min read

May 19—MERCER — Officials at the Mercer County Jail continue to prepare for a return to normal operations after several months under restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Warden Erna Craig updated the prison board Tuesday with details.

The jail screens all new inmates and visitors to take all precautions to mitigate COVID-19, Craig said.

In mid-March, they opened all the housing units.

"The inmates are no longer held in their cells in isolation," Craig said. "They're free to move about, socialize and interact with each other within their assigned housing units.

Outside agencies, including attorneys and investigators, have been given access to the inmates for consultation services. Craig said they meet directly with the inmates in the housing units in the multi-purpose rooms.

In mid-April, family and friends were allowed in-person visitations with restrictions.

"The visitation is strictly by telephones with glass separating them," Craig said. "There are no contact visits."

Phones are cleaned and sterilized after each visit, and masks are required, she said.

Restrictions were lifted to allow inmates to groom and cut each other's hair.

"We take for granted to go out to a barber or beautician," Craig said. "But they have to do their own hair."

Because of the population increase, which averaged 179.5 daily in April out of more than 300 available beds, Craig decided to reduce quarantine from 14 days to 7 days, with the approval of the jail's healthcare officials.

After the 7-day mark, rapid COVID-19 testing is conducted. If negative, the inmate goes directly into the general population. If they are positive, they have a 21-day isolation period.

The board also discussed bringing back the work release program.

Craig said work release could be re-instituted in the fall, but was concerned with inmates bringing contraband back into the jail with them.

"I have to admit, the amount of contraband coming in is zilch," Craig said. "But I also believe in the work release program so that inmates support their families and pay their bills."

Deputy Warden Mac McDuffie said that 90% of contraband that comes into the jail is because of work release.

He said that when there was no work release, there was no contraband. He said by contraband, he means drugs.

"When you have inmates that are not under the influence, it makes for a better environment, a cleaner environment. You don't have people being extorted," McDuffie said. "I'm not against work release, but I'm not for it either."

Officials said there is not an alternate scenario available to put in place at this time.

Back in March, Craig had updated the board, explaining that the jail was slowing getting back to normal.

During the pandemic, Craig said inmate activity was restricted, with inmates locked in their cells 20 hours a day.

"That's pretty difficult for them to handle, and they've been remarkable. We've had no problems with our inmate population," Craig said.

Mask wearing will continue to be required, but inmates have been allowed to participate in social activities in common areas for the past two months.

Also during the pandemic, inmates were given electronic tablets to have virtual visits with family and friends and to play games and read books during their down time.

Inmates who worked in the kitchen or on the cleaning crew were housed in the jail's gymnasium. Those inmates were moved back into the housing units months ago.

Craig also alerted the board that their healthcare provider, PrimeCare Medical, obtained COVID-19 vaccines. The company had 30 available shots for the jail. Craig said only 20 people — one corrections officer and 19 inmates — wanted to receive the vaccine.

"We're going to have another go-round here later with the shot again, so we're hoping the numbers increase," Craig said. "You can't force them to do it."

Follow Melissa Klaric on Twitter and Facebook @HeraldKlaric, email: mklaric@sharonherald.com

Recommended Stories

  • Fact check: COVID-19 vaccines won't make the common cold or flu 'extremely lethal'

    An Instagram post claims the COVID-19 vaccines will make the common cold and flu more lethal and that the vaccine rollout was planned. This is false.

  • Biden Hails Class Full Of 'Fierce Patriots' In Coast Guard Commencement Speech

    “You’re the most progressive, best educated, least prejudiced, most open generation in American history,” Biden said. “We need you badly."

  • Most Canadians approve of a vaccine passport - at least for travel

    A majority of Canadians say they are willing to embrace a vaccine passport to enable a return to travel but are less open to using them for things like restaurant reservations, according to polls. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said a vaccine certification aligned with other countries makes sense, and two government officials said talks with international partners about standards are ongoing, particularly among G7 countries. The European Union is working on a certificate with a digital Quick Response (QR) code and has agreed to welcome fully vaccinated tourists, while Britain plans to use a phone app and other countries may rely on a paper document.

  • FBI: Capitol rioters hit cops with metal knuckles, baton

    The FBI released new body camera video and said it was seeking the public's help to identify the assailants.

  • EU agrees to open doors to vaccinated foreigners

    BRUSSELS (Reuters) -European Union countries agreed on Wednesday to ease COVID-19 travel restrictions on non-EU visitors ahead of the summer tourist season, a move that could open the bloc's door to all Britons and to vaccinated Americans. Ambassadors from the 27 EU countries approved a European Commission proposal from May 3 to loosen the criteria to determine "safe" countries and to let in fully vaccinated tourists from elsewhere, EU sources said. One EU diplomat said cases of the Indian variant in Britain would need to be taken into account, although individual EU countries are already setting their own policies.

  • Federal Trade Commission sues Frontier for allegedly lying about internet speeds

    The Federal Trade Commission and six state attorneys general sued Frontier, an internet service provider, for allegedly not delivering the internet speeds it promised to consumers.Why it matters: Frontier Communications is the only internet provider in many rural, small and mid-sized communities. The FTC's lawsuit claims Frontier upcharged consumers for higher-speed tiers of service, and then did not deliver it.Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free.Between the lines: The move signals that FTC Acting Chairwoman Becca Slaughter plans to be aggressive in holding companies accountable for the promises they make to consumers — a key basis for the agency's enforcement actions.It also comes at a time that the Biden administration is launching an effort to try to lower the price of broadband for all consumers.Details: The complaint says Frontier advertised certain tiers of service in mail and online ads, and then sold the plans to consumers over the phone and online. The service in question is the company's DSL connections, which is transmitted over copper telephone wires. Frontier provides DSL service to about 1.3 million in 25 states. In complaints, consumers claim the slower internet speeds Frontier delivered instead of the speeds they purchased were not fast enough to support typical online activities.Attorneys general in Arizona, Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina and Wisconsin signed on to the complaint, as well as district attorneys in Los Angeles County and Riverside County, California. The other side: In a statement, Frontier said it believes the lawsuit is "without merit" and that it will present a "vigorous defense."The company added that Frontier serves rural areas that are sparsely populated and the most difficult to serve, and that its DSL service has retained satisfied customers. "Frontier’s DSL Internet speeds have been clearly and accurately articulated, defined and described in the Company’s marketing materials and disclosures," the company said. Editor's note: This post has been updated to include Frontier's statement.Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free.

  • Woman charged after Ky. cops find feces, drugs, loaded gun in a 4-year-old’s bedroom

    A Kentucky woman served with an arrest warrant over the weekend for alleged drug trafficking was subsequently charged with criminal abuse after investigators discovered a 4-year-old child living in “gruesome” conditions, according to police.

  • Deadly flash floods swamp parts of Louisiana. Videos and images show the destruction

    At least four people have been reported dead.

  • Advisor FAQ: Why Are Cryptocurrencies Crashing?

    Digital currencies tanked early Wednesday, sparking fear that the Bitcoin bubble is bursting. Here’s what advisors need to know now.

  • CarParts Revs-Up 80-Plus Relative Strength Rating Benchmark

    CarParts shows improving price performance, earning an upgrade to its IBD Relative Strength Rating from 76 to 81.

  • Teens in hijabs called ‘terrorists’ by Tennessee man, feds say. Now he faces prison

    The girls’ father was reportedly attacked with a knife after he tried to defend them.

  • Home Depot guarded on future demand after bumper first-quarter sales

    (Reuters) -Home Depot Inc on Tuesday cautioned it was difficult to predict how its business would be impacted by a potential change in shopping habits in the coming months as the reopening of the U.S. economy threatens to slow a pandemic-fueled sales boom. Supply shortages and surging demand have caused lumber prices to more than triple in the past year, helping buoy sales at Home Depot but hitting its margins. The company's same-store sales jumped 31% in the first quarter, while higher lumber prices alone hit gross margins by about 35 basis points.

  • GLOBAL MARKETS-Crypto crash deepens, stocks slip

    Global stocks slipped and cryptocurrencies sank deeper on Wednesday as a threat of unwanted inflation had investors shy away from assets seen as vulnerable to any removal of monetary stimulus. Digital coins were also under pressure from new Chinese restrictions on financial institutions providing services related to cryptocurrency transactions. But as the U.S. dollar edged away from its lowest levels of the year against its rivals, prices of gold, viewed as a hedge against inflation, reversed their recent course to fall from near a four-month peak.

  • Cher's star power helps rescue the 'loneliest elephant’

    Cher’s rescue of an elephant long held in dismal conditions is a one-of-a-kind story, as would be expected from the singular star. Recalling a brief meeting with businessman Mark Cowne and his interest in wildlife, she sought his help.

  • Brazil: Ex-health minister testifies on handling of pandemic

    Brazil’s former health minister denied receiving any direct orders from President Jair Bolsonaro during his 10 months in the post, providing Senate testimony Wednesday that analysts saw as an attempt to shield the country’s leader from blame regarding the government's pandemic response. Eduardo Pazuello's testimony Wednesday to the Senate committee investigating the Bolsonaro administration’s handling of COVID-19 had been among the most widely anticipated. “The actions were all mine,” said Pazuello, adding that the president never “issued an order to do anything other than what I was doing.”

  • Explainer: What does new criminal inquiry mean for Trump?

    Donald Trump is facing a one-two punch of criminal investigations in New York, with the state attorney general’s office saying its ongoing civil inquiry into the former president and his businesses is now a criminal matter. The attorney general's office is conducting the probe, confirmed late Tuesday, in tandem with the Manhattan district attorney’s office, which has been scrutinizing Trump and his company, the Trump Organization, for about two years. The DA’s office has been scouring Trump’s tax records, hired a former mafia prosecutor to help run its investigation and has been interviewing witnesses including Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen.

  • NASCAR’s Roush Fenway Racing team extends partnership with Fastenal

    Team president Steve Newmark also addressed questions around the “rumors” that Brad Keselowski has an offer to join RFR.

  • 100 million doses of Johnson & Johnson's vaccine need to be checked for contamination and may need to be thrown out

    The millions of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine doses haven't been distributed to the public and are from a plagued Emergent BioSolutions facility.

  • Only half of rural voters know that Democrats voted to send them stimulus checks, new poll finds

    Although not a single Republican voted for Biden's American Rescue Plan, only half of rural voters credit Democrats for stimulus payments.

  • Fact check: Clinton Foundation confirms Chelsea Clinton tweet about whiteness is fake

    A viral image on Facebook purports to show a tweet by Chelsea Clinton that urges people not to be white. The tweet is a fake.