More on the death of Officer Rhonda Russell, we are still trying to learn more about her, her life as well as her death. Douglas Braff reached out to a variety
More on the death of Officer Rhonda Russell, we are still trying to learn more about her, her life as well as her death. Douglas Braff reached out to a variety
kstephens@altoonamirror.com
HOLLIDAYSBURG The Blair County Prison population now includes 194 inmates who have recovered from COVID-19 conditions and three inmates with positive test results.
Current inmates who tested positive in December during one of two testing rounds have since recovered and are now being housed in the general population, Warden Abbie Tate reported Thursday to the county prison board.
Newly admitted inmates, she said, are being tested for COVID-19 upon arriving, then tested two more times during a 14-day quarantine before they’re considered for general population housing.
With the prison’s current inmate population at 213, Tate said the current arrangements are working well.
pray@altoonamirror.com
Representatives of the Blair County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Prison Society found ways to maintain contact with inmates in the county prison during the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to a contribution by an anonymous donor and the cooperation of prison officials.
Volunteer Ed Grab, a local physician, pointed out this week that the prison society’s representatives have not been permitted to visit the inmates for several months, and he doesn’t think that will change anytime soon in view of the ongoing spread of the coronavirus.
“This is truly a captive population,” Grab said.
But he said despite the pandemic, “We are going to continue efforts to visit the prisoners.”
kstephens@altoonamirror.com
HOLLIDAYSBURG Blair County’s public safety director is urging people to be patient while awaiting information on the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
In a presentation Tuesday for county commissioners, Director of Public Safety Mark Taylor referenced vaccination efforts that began last week and continue to evolve. As for the future, Taylor said he reached out to some of his state-level contacts for more information, but didn’t learn anything new.
“Understand this is a huge process and a lot of plans are changing daily,” Taylor said.
The state Department of Health last week moved ahead with its COVID-19 Interim Vaccination Plan with the distribution of vaccines to health care facilities for their front-line staffers caring for those with COVID-19 conditions.