Florida Department of Corrections Banner, Secretary Mark S. Inch

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 2, 2020

Contact: FDC Communications
(850) 488-0420
 

FDC Responds to COVID-19 at Liberty Correctional Institution
Additional measures taken to protect inmate population and staff

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – On May 2, Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) announced new positive test results of COVID-19 within the inmate population at Liberty Correctional Institution Main Unit. FDC received positive results back for 52 inmates who were exposed to a COVID-19 positive inmate at Liberty CI, bringing the total to 56. Liberty Main Unit Houses 1,363 inmates.

To keep Florida residents, inmates at the facility and visitors safe and aware about the status of the virus, FDC is issuing regular updates as information becomes available at www.dc.state.fl.us/comm/covid-19.html.

In addition to measures already in place to protect inmates, FDC initiated the following actions:

  • Liberty CI transitioned to providing all services including medical services and meals to inmates within their dormitories.
  • Institutional response teams have been activated to address emerging needs.
  • FDC is coordinating with the county health department to initiate increased testing within the facility. All inmates will be offered tests.
  • All staff will be offered testing at Liberty Main Unit and the satellite facilities of Liberty South Unit and Quincy Annex.
  • All inmates are being monitored by health services staff and temperature checks are being conducted throughout the day.
  • All staff and inmates were issued and are required to wear cloth face coverings. Staff have the option of wearing an FDC-provided cloth face covering, their own approved personal cloth face covering/medical-grade mask or obtaining a surgical-grade mask from the institution.
  • Rigorous cleaning throughout the institution was already in place and has been heightened as a result of the test results.
  • Approximately 7,000 surgical-grade masks and 120 N95 masks were immediately sent to Liberty CI for proper PPE utilization by staff treating inmates. Additional masks are on standby for distribution if needed.
  • All symptomatic inmates within the facility have been placed in medical isolation.
  • Inmates within the facility have access to appropriate care and treatment.
  • Inmate transfers to and from the facility have been temporarily suspended.
  • All inmate movement within the facility has been restricted.
  • Inmates continue to have access to the canteen through individual orders.
  • Inmates continue to have access to communication with family and loved ones through phone and JPay kiosks.

FDC is closely monitoring developments associated with the spread of this disease. FDC's Office of Health Services, institutional medical staff and institutional operations staff work hand- in-hand with the Department of Health to quickly engage and resolve infectious disease outbreaks as soon as they occur.

FDC is committed to ensuring inmates receive appropriate medical care that is in line with evolving national standards for correctional institutions. FDC has a constitutional mandate to provide health care for all inmates incarcerated in Florida’s prisons.

Click here for latest Coronavirus updates

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As Florida's largest state agency, and the third largest state prison system in the country, FDC employs 24,000 members, incarcerates 80,000 inmates and supervises nearly 146,000 offenders in the community.

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