State officials speak about COVID-19 testing in prisons

MAT-SU — As Alaskans deal with being confined to their homes as social distancing measures have been put in place to help mitigate the spread of COVID 19, Alaskan’s prison population is also joining in the fight to help build up personal protective equipment.

On Tuesday, Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced 31 tests that had been given to inmates at Alaska Department of Corrections facilities statewide. On Wednesday, DOC Commissioner Nancy Dahlstrom joined the governor’s daily press conference to discuss how inmates are being tested and changing the way they operate to maintain social distance.

“I am really happy to tell you that we have no inmates that are positive statewide which is good news,” said Dahlstrom.

On Wednesday, Dahlstrom announced the seventh correctional officer at Lemon Creek in Juneau who had tested positive for coronavirus. Though no inmates have yet tested positive, Dahlstrom said that inmates that are symptomatic are being tested. As of Tuesday, four inmates at Mat-Su Pretrial had been tested for COVID 19. Anchorage has had the most inmates tested, with 17 tests administered, five of which are still pending results. Highland Correctional in Eagle River has had three inmates tested, two in Fairbanks and one at Wildwood on the Kenai Peninsula.

Dahlstrom also announced that with Alaska’s prison population capacity down to 89 percent, more room has opened up at correctional facilities to isolate symptomatic inmates and maintain social distance. Cleaning practices have been enhanced and additional hygiene products brought in. Dahlstrom also announced that inmates at 10 DOC facilities helped in sewing 40,000 cloth masks that were distributed to prison staff, inmates and state of Alaska essential workers.