Waterbury, VT – The Vermont Department of Corrections detected three new incarcerated individual cases of COVID-19 through medical isolation testing at Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility (CRCF) in South Burlington, and one through outbreak testing at Northeast Correctional Complex (NECC) in St. Johnsbury. Vermont DOC conducted the tests on January 25 and 26, with results returned January 27 and 28.
The three new positive individuals at CRCF resided in general population units prior to developing symptoms, at which point they were moved to medical isolation. The units where the three individuals were housed locked down upon receipt of the results. Contact tracing and follow-up testing continues. Medical isolation units house symptomatic individuals in order to mitigate further exposure to the general population.
The positive individual at NECC resides in the same living unit as one previously detected positive. That living unit is in a different building than the one in which the recent outbreak was detected. The entire facility returned to full lockdown upon receipt of the positive result as contact tracing continues.
As of Friday morning, 18 incarcerated individuals are COVID-positive across three Vermont facilities.
Statewide, there are 44 COVID-positive staff cases across six correctional facilities, four field offices, and the Vermont Correctional Academy.
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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