The Michigan Department of Corrections will transfer recovered COVID-19 patients to the Central Michigan Correctional Facility (STF), where there are currently no confirmed cases.
A step-down unit has already been set up at Gus Harrison Correctional Facility, where recovering prisoners can remain in isolation. On Tuesday, three fully recovered prisoners were transferred from Gus Harrison to STF, according to MDOC spokesman Chris Gautz.
"The unit at Central is being set up because we are now starting to see prisoners recover and now test negative for the virus, which is a great thing," Gautz wrote in an email.
As of Monday evening, the MDOC reported a total of 574 coronavirus cases and 21 deaths among prisoners, and 210 employee cases and two deaths.
Once prisoners test negative for the virus, they are being moved to the Central Michigan facility to begin their reintegration into the general population, Gautz said.
Gautz said this will also free up room for prisoners to move into Gus Harrison once they are medically cleared to do so.
Recovered prisoners will be housed in a unit at STF where there are 120 empty beds. Gautz said eventually it will be able to house 160 recovered people.
Gautz said all individuals that are being transferred to STF are no longer contagious, so they will be able to safely go to the yard, chow hall and other public areas.
"To be clear, we are not sending COVID-19 positive prisoners to STF. The prisoners that are moved to STF are prisoners who now test negative," Gautz said.
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