LANSING, Mich. — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order Saturday that details testing protocols for the Michigan Department of Corrections facilities, and it requires jails adopt these guidelines in order to transfer inmates to state facilities.
Under the order, MDOC must conduct testing at entry, transfer and release of any inmate. It also suspends transfers from jails that do not adopt similar protocols; jails have until Sept. 8 to comply.
“Testing is the at the very center of any strategy to keep prison and jail populations safe. By reducing the spread of COVID-19 in prisons and jails, we protect corrections officers and their families, incarcerated people, and the whole community,” said Whitmer in a statement.
The state tested all MDOC inmates in May. Whitmer said the department of corrections has been a "leader for states across the country" on its COVID-19 response.
"By expanding protections for Michigan’s vulnerable populations, we can slow the spread of the virus and save lives," the governor's statement said.
In addition to the testing protocols, the order also outlines risk reduction measures, including:
- Screening everyone arriving or departing from a facility
- Isolate and test any inmate who has one or more of the principal symptoms of COVID-19
- Open windows and doors and use fans to increase air circulation
- Require inmates and staff and wear masks and practice social distancing
- Conduct routine cleaning and sanitization consistent with CDC guidelines
- Minimize crowding or gatherings of 10 people or more
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services will be supporting MDOC was diagnostic testing in all facilities.
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