Sheriff's Office Begins Testing Staff, Inmates For COVID-19

ARLINGTON, VA — All staff members of the Arlington County Sheriff's Office and inmates housed in the Arlington County Detention Center will be tested Thursday and Friday for COVID-19, the illness associated with the new coronavirus. Members of the Virginia National Guard will administer the tests.

“The safety of staff, the public and those remanded to our custody remains my top priority as we continue to navigate these challenging times,” Sheriff Beth Arthur said, in a release. “These are the first inmate cases of COVID-19 in Arlington and I want to assure the public we are taking proactive steps to mitigate the spread. As cases continue to rise in communities across the country, it is crucial that we continue to work collaboratively and follow public health guidance to help protect individuals and communities from COVID-19.”

The decision to test all ASO staff and inmates held in detention comes less than a week after the first ACDC inmate tested positive for COVID-19. At that time, the Sheriff's Office said it had started contact tracing to identify who the inmate had been in contact with, in order to stem the spread of the disease.

On Wednesday, the Virginia Department of Health reported a total of 36 outbreaks of COVID-19 in the Arlington Health District. There have been 24 outbreaks at long-term care facilities, seven in a congregate setting, three in health care settings, and one at a college or a university. In addition, VDH reported the first outbreak at a correctional facility, which was the outbreak at the ACDC.

In March, ACSO initiated the following protocols in accordance with Virginia Department of Health guidelines to ensure the safety of its staff, the Courthouse, the public, and those in its custody:

• Daily temperature checks and symptom screenings of all staff that enter the Detention Center and Courthouse
• Daily temperatures and symptom screenings of all individuals in our custody.
• Initial medical screening of arrestees.
• Daily cleaning, in addition to the regularly scheduled cleanings, of areas in the Arlington County Detention Facility (ACDF) and Courthouse with the Electro Static Sprayer.
• Redesign of Intake Units:
  • We have created new procedures for the Intake Housing for all inmates entering the facility. Due to our inmate population being low, it has given us flexibility to ensure inmates coming into custody are housed separate from general population for 14 days to ensure no possible COVID symptoms.
• Suspension of staff roll calls to adhere to social distancing guidelines by the CDC.
• Staff that are able to telework, are being given the opportunity to do so.
• Staff are provided personal protective equipment to wear when social distancing is not possible, to include masks, gloves, goggles, and gowns as appropriate.
• All individuals in our custody have been provided cloth face coverings to wear when they are out of their cells.
• Meals are served in disposable trays.
• Inmate movement throughout the facility is minimized.
• In-person visitation has been cancelled however inmates have been given two free phone calls a week.
• Video visitation is being conducted via iPads.
• Programs have been cancelled.
  • Inmate Service Counselors are providing classes and activities.
• Sheriff's Office and the Courts have been working together to modify procedures in order to lessen the interaction between individuals, maintain social distancing guidelines, and to follow the stay at home orders issued in Maryland, DC and Virginia.

Also see ...

Arlington Detention Center Inmate Tests Positive For COVID-19

Total Coronavirus Cases Top 7,000 In Arlington; 118 New Cases