- What is coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)?
- Who is at risk?
- What is community spread?
- What are the symptoms?
- How does it spread?
- What can I do to prevent it?
- Who is being vaccinated?
- Should I wear a face mask?
- Does the TDCJ issue face masks?
- How do I wear a face covering correctly?
- Wash your hands before putting on your face covering
- Put it over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin
- Try to fit it snugly against the sides of your face
- Make sure you can breathe easily
- What is "close contact"?
- Who is allowed to enter TDCJ correctional facilities?
- How can we keep in touch with our loved ones?
- What about education and other programming?
- Are inmates being transferred to parole ordered programs?
- How are intake inmates being screened?
- What is confirmed vs. suspected COVID-19 case?
- What is "Medical Isolation"?
- What is "Medical Restriction"?
- What triggers and what are the impacts of a precautionary lockdown?
- Is the TDCJ performing COVID-19 testing?
- What happens if an inmate or staff member tests positive?
- How can I get more information about testing and TDCJ statistics?
- What is personal protective equipment (PPE)?
- Is there a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE)?
COVID-19, or coronavirus disease 2019, is an upper respiratory tract disease caused by one of the seven coronaviruses known to infect humans. It was first identified in humans in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, in December 2019. The virus that causes COVID-19 is called SARS-CoV-2.
With community spread of the virus everyone is at risk. There is virtually no area in Texas that does not have some level of COVID-19 infection currently. Especially vulnerable are people in close contact with those who have COVID-19 and people who care for patients with COVID-19.
Community spread means people have been infected with the virus in an area, including some who are not sure how or where they became infected. Each health department determines community spread differently based on local conditions. For information on community spread in your area, please visit Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Symptoms, which may appear two to 14 days after exposure, are wide ranging including fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, gastro-intestinal problems, and others. Most people who become sick do not require hospitalization, but older adults, people with chronic health conditions, and people with compromised immune systems are more likely to require more advanced care.
COVID-19 is believed to spread mainly from person-to-person -- between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) and through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
It also may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.
It also may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.
Taking common precautions including mask wearing, social distancing, hand washing, and surface cleaning are great steps. So is getting any of the COVID-19 vaccines now available to many.
Clean high-touch areas – counters, tables, doorknobs, light switches, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets, nightstands – every day using household cleaning spray or wipes according to label directions.
Clean high-touch areas – counters, tables, doorknobs, light switches, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets, nightstands – every day using household cleaning spray or wipes according to label directions.
Vaccines are available to all staff and inmates.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) still advises people to wear cloth face coverings in public settings when around people not living in your household and particularly where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, such as grocery stores, pharmacies, and gas stations. Cloth face coverings may slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others.
COVID-19 can be spread by people who do not have symptoms and do not know that they are infected. That’s why it’s important for everyone to practice social distancing(staying at least 6 feet away from other people) and wear cloth face coverings in public settings. Cloth face coverings provide an extra layer to help prevent the respiratory droplets from traveling in the air and onto other people.
COVID-19 can be spread by people who do not have symptoms and do not know that they are infected. That’s why it’s important for everyone to practice social distancing(staying at least 6 feet away from other people) and wear cloth face coverings in public settings. Cloth face coverings provide an extra layer to help prevent the respiratory droplets from traveling in the air and onto other people.
The TDCJ issues a variety of face masks to all employees and inmates. The type of mask (cloth, surgical, or N95) issued is based on medical criteria.
A close contact is someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period (e.g., three 5-minute exposures) starting from 2 days before illness onset or 2 days prior to test collection date for exposure to an asymptomatic COVID-19 case until the time the patient is isolated.
The frequency of inmate visitation has returned to pre-COVID policy. The visitation schedule is Monday, Wednesday, Friday (1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.), and Saturday, Sunday (8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.). In-person visitation must be scheduled.
During the pandemic, the TDCJ began using a number of innovative solutions to keep families in touch. Many of those solutions will remain in place. In person visitation has resumed, and either tablet and video visitation is available at all units. The Offender Telephone System is in full operation, and inmates who have been issued tablets are able to place phone calls from their tablets.
Windham School District is currently offering all programming in classroom socially distant and in remote learning models.
Yes. The agency is conducting transfers of inmates needing to begin parole voted programs.
The intake of new inmates entering the TDCJ system from county jails has resumed. Inmates are screened prior to being accepted into the intake facility. Individuals will have an additional medical screening upon arrival at an intake facility.
According to the CDC, a confirmed case has received a positive result from a COVID-19 laboratory test, with or without symptoms. A suspected case shows symptoms of COVID-19 but either has not been tested or is awaiting test results. If test results are positive, a suspected case becomes a confirmed case.
Medical isolation refers to confining a confirmed or suspected COVID-19 case to prevent contact with others and to reduce the risk of transmission. Medical isolation ends when the individual meets pre-established clinical and/or testing criteria for release from isolation, in consultation with clinical providers and public health officials. In this context, isolation does NOT refer to punitive isolation for behavioral infractions within the custodial setting.
Inmates in the TDCJ who are close contacts of a confirmed or suspected COVID-19 case (whether the case is another inmate or staff member) will be placed on medical restriction for 10 days. Medical observation will occur in the medical restriction area (cell or dorm). Meals will be served in the restriction area and inmates excluded from group activities. Staff interacting with medically restricted inmates will wear personal protective equipment (PPE).
Precautionary lockdown is for the protection of everyone and is intended to restrict movement of inmates to stop any spread of the virus. A precautionary lockdown may be instituted based on high community spread of the virus in the neighboring community, increased employee or inmate asymptomatic cases found in mass or surveillance testing, or increased symptomatic cases.
Yes, tests are performed as needed based on community spread and increased symptomatic cases. Testing for symptomatic cases is conducted by contracted medical staff.
If an inmate tests positive they are moved to medical isolation for at least 10 days from the date of the test. They will only be housed with others of the same testing status if single cell housing is not available. Inmates who have shared a dorm or close contact area with that inmate would then be placed on medical restriction and medically checked daily by medical staff. Unit staff who test positive are required to self-quarantine for 10 days from the date of the test.
Testing and statistics are available on the TDCJ COVID-19 Dashboard. The information is updated daily and includes testing statistics for inmate and staff along with medical restriction, isolation, and precautionary lockdown information by unit.
PPE consists of masks, gloves, and eye protection.
No. The TDCJ currently has stockpiles of N-95 and KN-95 masks along with millions of pairs of gloves and other PPE. TDCJ has manufactured more than 1.5 million cloth masks that have been distributed all over the state.
Helpful Links:
Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) - News Updates COVID-19
Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) - Texas Case Counts Map
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)- Coronavirus (COVID-19)
CDC Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) - World Map
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
YouTube