Arizona state prisons will administer COVID-19 serology tests for all staff
Jun 12, 2020, 3:00 PM | Updated: 3:36 pm
PHOENIX — Arizona’s state prisons are ramping up their coronavirus testing efforts by administering serology tests for all staff.
Starting Tuesday, ADCRR will start to administer serology testing for employees and contracted staff at the Florence facility. Sonora Quest Laboratories will conduct the tests.
“One of the things that we’re getting ready to do next week is begin serology testing for all of our employees throughout the state, our contractors, everyone who works with us,” David Shinn, director of Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry said Friday on KTAR 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show.
RELATED STORIES
The initiative stems from the state working to contain the spread of coronavirus in areas like long-term care facilities and prisons.
“I think the greatest benefit is relieving some of the anxiety for our men and women who, throughout this entire episode, have dealt with the challenge of COVID-19 both in the community and every day on the job,” Shinn said.
Shinn said ADCRR hopes to use the serology test results as a guide for future measures in the jails.
As of Friday, 116 ADCRR staff members reported they had tested positive coronavirus, according to the state prison dashboard.
Additionally, 249 inmates tested positive for coronavirus along with four confirmed deaths.
Shinn said to contain the spread of coronavirus, ADCRR tests every inmate that comes to the system from county jails and any who are sent to other facilities.
“Every inmate who goes in and out of our facilities for any type of external medical treatment is also separated and quarantined, and we’ll do testing if necessary,” Shinn said.
