Whatcom’s downtown jail sees first COVID-19 cases, but protocol changes prevent outbreak
A COVID-19 outbreak at the Whatcom County Jail’s Work Center last month led to protocol revisions that helped prevent similar problems from occurring at the downtown jail.
Three individuals who were being booked into the jail last weekend tested positive for COVID-19, Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Deb Slater told The Bellingham Herald in an email, but because of the new booking protocols instituted following the outbreak at the Work Center, the general population at the jail was not exposed.
“Starting (Jan. 27), a medical quarantine unit was designated at the downtown jail,” Slater wrote. “In addition to screening all offenders being booked into jail, new bookings are now housed in the unit or other isolation areas, until such time they are cleared by jail health staff to be moved.
“As a result of these new protocols, three individuals who had been booked over the weekend were identified as having positive COVID-19 tests. All COVID-19 precautions had been taken, including providing the offender with masks and keeping them separate from other offenders in the facility.”
Since they tested positive, Slater reported one of the three was released with the permission of the court and in coordination with the Whatcom County Health Department. The two others remain in medical isolation at the jail, where medical staff are monitoring them and providing care that they need.
In addition to testing those who are being booked into the jail, Slater reported that beginning Monday, Feb. 1, COVID-19 antigen tests will also be given during the booking process.
The sheriff’s office first announced on Jan. 20 that 10 people at the Work Center had tested positive for COVID-19, after one of the 10 reported experiencing symptoms often associated with the respiratory illness.
Since then, an additional 27 inmates at the Work Center tested positive for COVID-19, according to Slater.
As of Tuesday, Feb. 2, 24 people have since been released from either isolation or quarantine at the Work Center, Slater reported, and two others were released from the Work Center in cooperation with the health department to make sure they had safe places to quarantine.
Additionally, a sheriff’s office release Jan. 27 stated that the office has been coordinating with the health department on personal protective equipment needs and environmental controls to limit the chances of infection, and the health department is providing twice-weekly on-site testing for all those in quarantine and for jail staff.
“All offenders who have tested positive for COVID-10 are showing mild symptoms and are receiving medical care,” Slater wrote Tuesday. “Jail staff has been in daily contact with the Health Department staff since the initial cases surfaced at the Work Center. Their advice and expertise have been invaluable in revising our response to this pandemic.”
