KINGSTON – For the first time since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office reported Thursday that as of the evening of December 8, three of the current 168 inmates housed in the jail are positive for COVID-19.
In addition to the many preventative measures officials have already been observing since March, staff has taken the following additional safety measures:
- The three inmates have been moved from the general population and are quarantined within the facility, as will any other inmates who may test positive in the future.
- Testing has commenced for the entire inmate population and corrections staff.
- Surgical masks are being issued to inmates (staff have been required to wear them for several months already).
- All in-person visits have previously been suspended and only virtual visitation continues.
- Inmates are being given credit vouchers upon request for free video calls/visits.
- The sheriff’s office is continuing to work closely with the Ulster County Health Department, as well as their partners in the state health department and state jail regulatory agencies.
“The safety of our population, their families, as well as our staff and their families remain our top priorities. Our agency has been at the forefront of implementing safety protocols since this pandemic began. We have been monitoring the recent increases in positive COVID cases in the public and have been preparing for the eventuality this would enter the jail,” according to a statement from the sheriff’s office.
