Law enforcement agencies in East Mississippi have been working on plans to prepare for COVID-19, though Mississippi had no confirmed cases by Wednesday afternoon. 

At the Lauderdale County Detention Facility, some preventive measures are already in place throughout the year, such as continuous cleaning and medical screenings for all inmates who enter the facility, according to Chief Deputy Ward Calhoun with the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department. 

Because of the coronavirus, the county’s healthcare contractor has implemented an additional screening process recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, he said. 

If necessary, the jail may consider pausing visits by outside groups including prison ministry volunteers who hold Bible studies and worship services, Calhoun said. 

Jail staff will monitor inmates and if someone shows symptoms, they could be tested and isolated from other inmates, he said. 

In a worst-case scenario, the jail would go on lockdown, preventing inmates from going to a common area outside. 

For regular visitation, inmates are separated by glass and speak through a telephone, but the jail could review those procedures if there are concerns about visitors sharing a room, Calhoun said.

Kemper County Sheriff James Moore said employees at the Kemper Neshoba Regional Correctional Facility have stepped up cleaning efforts by increasing the use of bleach.

He advised any potential visitors to avoid the facility if they have symptoms of a sickness. 

If an inmate becomes infected with the virus, Moore said the jail would be able to separate the person from the rest of the population.

In the event of a large outbreak, the facility would work with the state to potentially move inmates somewhere else, he said.  

A representative for the East Mississippi Correctional Facility referred questions to Centurion, the facility’s medical contractor, and the Mississippi Department of Corrections.

A representative for Centurion provided a phone number and email address for media inquiries and messages left there were not returned. Information from MDOC was not immediately available Wednesday afternoon.