Waterbury, VT – Vermont Department of Corrections (Vermont DOC) is reporting two staff members at Northern State Correctional Facility (NSCF) in Newport tested positive for COVID-19 in independent tests conducted August 18 and August 21.
The first staff member was last in the facility on August 17 and tested positive on August 18. One staff close contact was identified, and that individual is quarantined. The second staff member was last in the facility on August 21 and tested positive through a rapid test the same day. Eight staff close contacts were identified. Five are now out on quarantine.
Contact tracing was initiated twice upon receipt of the positive results. The facility was also placed on full lockdown both times and has returned to modified operations due to contact tracing showing zero close contacts in the incarcerated population.
All NSCF staff not quarantined will be tested on August 24. Incarcerated individuals were last tested on August 18. All results were returned negative.
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 on the COVID-19 response in Vermont’s correctional facilities can be found at https://doc.vermont.gov/covid-19-information-page.
# # #