Georgia Department of Corrections Employee Tests Positive For COVID-19

An employee at one of Georgia's state prisons has tested positive for COVID-19, the Georgia Department of Corrections said Wednesday. 

While the GDC did not disclose which of the 34 state prisons the affected employee was assigned to, the department said there are no positive cases reported among the prison population. The GDC is working to mitigate spread of the virus, the statement added. 

Georgia's correctional system is one of the largest in the country, with over 10,000 employees and 54,000 state prisoners. 

Corrections officials need to work proactively to lessen exposure and called for certain people to be released, ACLU of Georgia executive director Andrea Young said in a statement. 

"People in custody cannot protect themselves," she said. "This situation makes it even more urgent for state and local officials to implement procedures to protect all people who are in our prisons and jails from being exposed to and contracting the COVID-19 virus. Individuals who are low-level offenders or who are incarcerated awaiting trial because of an inability to pay cash bail or in custody due to an inability to pay fines and fees should be released.”
 
Earlier this week, Georgia Department of Corrections officials suspended visitation, volunteer visits and facility tours, while also increasing the amount of hand soap and hand sanitizer at facilities across the state. Additionally, it enhanced medical screening for staff and those in custody.