Waterbury, VT – Northern State Correctional Facility (NSCF) in Newport is in standard modified operations after two consecutive rounds of COVID-19 testing returned zero positive results for staff or incarcerated individuals, the Vermont Department of Corrections (Vermont DOC) announced Tuesday. This status change allows for more movement and cohorting among the population and enables the facility to return to near-normal operations.
Currently at NSCF, Vermont DOC is monitoring no active incarcerated cases and two active staff cases, the most recent of which was detected on December 10. Statewide, two positive incarcerated cases and 14 positive staff cases exist across five correctional facilities, two field offices, and Central Office.
A total of 48 incarcerated individuals and 17 staff tested positive for COVID-19 in the NSCF outbreak, which began on November 10.
“The Vermont Department of Corrections stood the watch throughout the pandemic, and we’re proud that Vermont is the only state in the nation to see zero COVID-19 related deaths among staff or the incarcerated population,” said Commissioner Nicholas Deml. “Superintendent Scott Martin and his team have my sincere gratitude for their vigilance and commitment throughout the outbreak. I also appreciate the understanding and cooperation of our incarcerated population as we did everything in our power to ensure their safety.”
Families and friends of incarcerated individuals are encouraged to reach out to the Vermont DOC Office of Constituency Services with questions: https://doc.vermont.gov/information-inmate-families-and-friends. Click here for the direct link to the online Friends and Family portal.
Updates and data on the COVID-19 response in Vermont’s correctional facilities can be found at https://doc.vermont.gov/covid-19-information-page. Prior press updates can be found at https://doc.vermont.gov/content/press-releases.
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