COVID-19 surges in Mecklenburg County jail despite sheriff’s safety protocol assurances
An outbreak of COVID-19 continues to roar through the Mecklenburg County Jail, with the number of sickened inmates almost doubling over two days.
On Wednesday, the Sheriff’s Office reported that 61 prisoners had tested positive, and Sheriff Garry McFadden expressed confidence that the safety protocols put in place in the jail would prevent further spread.
On Friday morning, however, the number of cases had soared to 115, according to emails obtained by The Observer in which Mecklenburg government officials updated attorneys with clients in the jail on the rapid spread of the virus.
The mushrooming number of cases forced the respiratory isolation of five more inmate pods, from 11 on Wednesday to 16 by Friday, according to the emails.
Isolating a pod means the occupants have tested positive, shown COVID-19 symptoms or have undergone a significant risk of exposure.
A separate unit has been designated for quarantining inmates with a known but less significant exposure to the virus.
The current number of cases is the largest since December, when a similar outbreak — fueled by jailers returning from the Thanksgiving holiday — sickened more than 100 inmates.
In a statement to the Observer on Saturday, Sheriff Garry McFadden said:
“Much like we have seen in the general community, the Mecklenburg County Detention Center has also seen an increase in COVID-19 cases among our resident population. We are taking every protocol possible to prevent the spread of this virus in our facilities. We are working on a plan for routine testing of MCSO staff in conjunction with Mecklenburg County’s plan.”
Those entering the jail are screened for symptoms, issued a face covering, offered a vaccine and kept in quarantine/isolation housing for 14 days, the Sheriff’s Office previously said.
Jailers and other staff are now required to wear masks along with wristbands indicating their vaccination status. In a previous statement, McFadden said his employees are encouraged to get the shots but are not required to do so.
The Sheriff’s Office has a staff of slightly more than 1,000 sworn officers and civilian employees; 50.8% have been vaccinated, spokeswoman Janet Parker said.
This story was originally published August 28, 2021 at 8:10 AM.
