The following statement was issued by Wayne County Sheriff Shane Fisher last week following COVID-19 testing at the Wayne County Jail:
“On November 17, 2020, the Wayne County Jail tested every inmate being housed in the Wayne County Jail after receiving COVID-19 tests that were requested earlier in the month. The medical staff tested each inmate with the following results: 131 inmates tested, 23 tested positive for COVID-19, of those positive results, two were symptomatic and 21 exhibited no symptoms. The positive results were confined to one area and those inmates are quarantined from the general jail population. Fifteen inmates were isolated due to exposure of positive test results.
“The Wayne County Jail staff continues to follow strict guidelines and recommendations provided by the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH), Tennessee Corrections Institute (TCI), and the Center for Disease Control (CDC), specifically related to COVID-19. Our staff has diligently strived to keep the virus out of the jail but, unfortunately, we have realized by our testing that we have not been 100% successful. Both our medical and corrections staff work diligently to provide the safest environment for both staff and inmates while continually monitoring and evaluating the ever-changing situation regarding COVID-19 in our facility. We are utilizing every available option to prevent further contamination and make sure all our inmates receive the utmost care while incarcerated in our facility. Our inmates have been provided additional cleaning supplies, as well as N95 masks to be worn when social distancing is not achievable. We have adjusted inmate policies and provided other measures of items to further prevent the spread of the virus within the facility.
“We are continuously monitoring, and adjusting as necessary, the COVID-19 situation within our facility as the care and health of our inmates is of the highest concern.”
