Limited visits to resume at two Mid-Missouri prisons
MOBERLY, Mo. (KMIZ)
Two Mid-Missouri prisons are among several restarting inmate visits at the facilities.
Announcements posted on the Missouri Department of Corrections website said Moberly Correctional Center and Tipton Correctional Center are on the list allowing limited visitor capacity and hours.
All inmate visits were canceled in March because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A news release sent out earlier in the week said visiting at the Moberly prison started Thursday. It included visiting hours will restart on Aug. 27 in Tipton.
The department of corrections website said visits will only be allowed Thursdays through Sundays.
Multiple rules are in place for visits: Visitors must call ahead to schedule appointments, visiting rooms will be open with 30% capacity, visits can last up to 2 hours, offenders are allowed only two visitors at a time.
In addition to restrictions on visiting times, all people coming into the facilities must pass a COVID-19 screening and temperature check. The website included any person who does not pass the screening will be sent home.
Randolph County Health Department Administrator Sharon Whisenand said she is worried about a possible outbreak at the prison.
"I think there's always concern in congregate living facilities, like our correctional center," Whisenand said. "Luckily, our prison has been one of the few without any inmate COVID-19 cases."
As of Thursday, the Moberly prison had confirmed two coronavirus cases, both attributed to workers, according to the department of corrections' data.
Whisenand said she met with the prison warden before the announcement was made but that the health department did not have a say in the department of corrections decision.
"They have great protocols at the prison in case of an outbreak," Whisenand said.
Missouri corrections spokeswoman Karen Pojmann said an influx of COVID-19 cases could halt visiting hours.
"We would suspend visiting in the event of an offender outbreak," Pojmann said.
An outbreak stopped visits at Chillicothe Correctional Center after it was allowed to restart visits on June 25.
In early June, the Chillicothe facility had no active cases, a news release said.
Two months later the prison has confirmed more COVID-19 cases among inmates than any other state prison at 240. Additionally, 24 prison workers have also tested positive.
Pojmann said both prison workers that tested positive have been in self-isolation.
Tipton Correctional Center has confirmed two COVID-19 cases among inmates. State data said both have recovered.
It included no Tipton prison workers have confirmed coronavirus cases.
Algoa Correctional Center and Jefferson City Correctional Center, both in Jefferson City, restarted visiting hours earlier this year.
More than 1,000 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed across all state prisons. In all, 785 inmates and 247 prison workers have tested positive during the pandemic, according to state data.
As of Thursday, 291 inmates and 152 workers had active coronavirus cases.
