State Penitentiary Employee Tests Positive for COVID-19

April 4, 2020, 6:30 p.m. ·

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Nebraska Department of Correctional Services Director Scott Frakes wears one of the cloth face masks all NDCS employees are required to wear at work. (Provided Photo)

An employee at the Nebraska State Penitentiary has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a statement from the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services.

Latest news: netNebraska.org/coronavirus

The statement says the person has been in self-isolation for the past 10 days. The announcement comes just one day after all NDCS staff members started wearing cloth face masks to work.

“Based on community spread and the increased availability of testing, we’ve been preparing for the scenario in which staff members or inmates tested positive for COVID19,” said Director Scott Frakes in a statement. “Having staff members in protective masks will help reduce the transmission of the illness through airborne droplets.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently updated guidance concerning face masks, and now recommends all Americans wear a cloth face mask in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult, like at the grocery story or pharmacy.

Surgical masks and N-95 respirators should be reserved for healthcare workers, according to the CDC guidelines.

Cloth masks such as the ones CDC recommends and NDCS staff now wear are meant to prevent an asymptomatic person from infecting others, rather than protecting the mask-wearer from getting infected.

The masks used by NDCS employees are made by incarcerated workers at Cornhusker State Industries. It is not clear from written statements if incarcerated individuals, either employed at CSI or not, will be provided cloth masks.

Employees are screened as they enter any Correctional Services facility, but they are not temperature checked.

“The agency placed an initial order for thermometers several weeks ago which was stolen during delivery," Frakes said. "It is expected that the second shipment will arrive soon."

Last week health officials announced an employee at the Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center in Kearney tested positive for COVID-19.

Latest news: netNebraska.org/coronavirus