CS: New prisoners not going to jail without medical clearance

By MARJORIE FINKEO
NEW prisoners will not be allowed to enter jails without medical clearance and those attending court hearings are to be screened – they are among measures being taken by Correctional Services to prevent coronavirus. Correctional Services Minister Chris Nangoi said his department had the biggest challenge of keeping out the virus than any other government institution.
Plans were underway to also recruit medical inspection teams at all entry points of prisons, including doctors and nurses to make medical checks on everyone.
“We will write to the Health Department coronavirus taskforce team to assist us with health workers,” Nangoi said.
Among the other measures are banning all jail visits and screening of prisoners returning from court hearings.
Nangoi said court hearings maybe conducted in the prison sites if coronavirus hits the country.
“There will be total lockdown in prison,” he said.
He said all barracks would also be in lockdown mode, no visits from extended families and children would not attend school if the situation arose.
Staff will be advised to follow basic health and hygiene steps to and stock up food and medicines.