The Department of Corrections is committed to protecting the
health and welfare of the staff and offenders in our institutions
and field offices. In addition to public safety, DOC's top
priority right now is preventing the introduction of COVID-19 into
our facilities. DOC has been heavily engaged in proactive
mitigation efforts and response planning for COVID-19 since early
February when we first began screening inmates for the virus. The
health and safety of the people who live and work in our
correctional facilities is paramount, and DOC has taken swift and
assertive action in confronting this public health emergency. We
will do our absolute best to keep staff, offenders and the public
updated on our efforts. Please check back frequently for updates.
Since February 2, 2020 DOC has been screening every inmate booked
into a DOC facility for COVID-19. On February 3, 2020 the DOC
Infectious Disease Response Team held its first tabletop exercise
for coronavirus response and has been meeting at least weekly since
that time. A clinical care guide for DOC medical staff has been in
place since 2/27 and a full departmental response plan was drafted
March 4. On March 23 the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued
its
Interim Guidance on Management of Coronavirus Disease 2019
(COVID-19) in Correctional and Detention Facilities. The
Department was pleased to see that the safeguards already put in
place in Alaska met the standards issued by the CDC.
Data above represents tests administered to DOC inmates only.
Data represents number of tests administered, not number of
inmates tested, as individuals may be tested more than once.
Data represents cumulative cases identified since the
beginning of the pandemic, not active cases.
Remand Positive: Inmates who tested positive for COVID-19
immediately upon entering the facility. These individuals
contracted COVID as a result of community transmission.
General Population Positive: inmates who have been in DOC
custody for greater than 14-days and tested positive for COVID-19
as a result of transmission within the facility.
Weekly DOC COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker
AS OF 03.06.22
Inmate population
Facility
# inmates at least 1 dose
# inmates per facility
# inmates completed series
**Inmates are offered the vaccination, but not required to
receive it.
Effective 3/13/2020, all visiting at institutions
statewide has been temporarily suspended. This includes outside
volunteers, attorneys and other tours and groups who routinely
come into the institutions.
Effective 3/18, all non-essential activity at all
institutions statewide including contract services have been
temporarily suspended. Limited chaplaincy services remain at
each institution.
Effective 3/23, Ketchikan Correctional Center and the
Ketchikan Probation Office have begun screening all staff and
any essential contractor who enter the facility. This will be
done each time an individual reports to work and before they are
allowed entrance into either the facility or the administrative
area.
Effective 3/24, all DOC Facilities statewide are to
screen all employees and essential contractors at the start of
every shift prior to entering the facility. Anyone with a
temperature of 100.4F or higher, or anyone who chooses to refuse
having their temperature checked will not be permitted into the
facility.
Effective 3/24, all inmates will be screened prior to
transferring from one facility to another. Screening will
include questions related to symptoms and recent travel, as well
as a temperature check. Inmates with temperatures higher than
100.4F will not be transferred and will be taken to medical for
further screening.
Effective 3/24, all institutional lobbies will be closed
to the public. As a result, in-person bail and in-person
contributions to Offender Trust Account funds have been
suspended at this time. Bail should be paid either at the
Courthouse or mailed to the institution with a money order or
certified check. Contributions to OTA funds should also be
mailed to the institution with a money order or certified check.
Both items should clearly state the individuals name and
offender number. For address information, visit the DOC Institutions
page.
Effective 5/29, all inmates will receive a COVID-19 test
prior to transfer between DOC facilities. Inmates will also
quarantine for 14 days before being introduced to general
population.
Effective 7/1, all new remands receive a COVID-19 test
and are quarantined for 14 days prior to being introduced to
general population.
DOC is committed to keeping the people in our custody
connected with their loved ones and educated on the COVID-19
situation as it evolves. Effective 3/19, DOC is providing four
free 15-minute phone calls per inmate per week while visitation
is suspended. Additionally, the following video was played for
the inmate population to keep them educated and informed of the
situation at hand.
