Middle River Regional Jail announces coronavirus plan

The Middle River Regional Jail announced modified procedures for jail operations in light of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

Effective March 9, all inmates leaving MRRJ for court or other appointments began having their temperature taken before departing the facility.

Effective March 12, the following additional steps were implemented:

1. All staff, contractors, and visitors that require entrance to the secure perimeter of MRRJ will be required to have their temperature taken. Any individual with a temperature 100 degrees or more will be denied entry.
2. All inmates to include work release inmates have had their temperature taken prior to departing the facility. Any inmate with a temperature 100 degrees or more will not be permitted to depart the facility, will be segregated and examined by medical staff. Medical staff will consult with the on-call physician if indicated.
3. All inmates returning to MRRJ will have their temperature taken prior to returning to the general population of the facility. Any inmate with a temperature 100 degrees or more will not be permitted to return to the general population, will be segregated and examined by medical staff. Medical staff will consult with the on-call physician if indicated.
4. Every new arrestee processed had the following questions added to the intake interview.
   a. Have you traveled outside the United States in the last 21 days?
   b. Have you been exposed to anyone that has been diagnosed with the Coronavirus?
   c. Have you experienced a cough in the last 21 days?
   d. Have you experienced a temperature of 100 or higher degrees in the last 21 days?
   e. Have you experienced trouble breathing in the last 21 days?
   f. Any inmate responding yes to any of the questions will be placed in a single cell in Intake until further screened by Medical Staff.
5. Work Release programs have been reduced (no weekend work).
6. Inmate workforce crews (crews under the supervision of jail staff that work in the community) have been reduced.
7. Program staff are discussing with volunteers, that work with inmates, these new protocols. Where indicated, programs lead by volunteers are being suspended.

Effective March 13 at 2 p.m., family visitation is suspended until further notice. Inmates can maintain contact with family through email, telephone (debit and collect call) and writing letters.

MRRJ will continue to monitor guidance from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and make changes to operations as this guidance indicates.