Female inmate tests positive for COVID, were the steps taken sufficient to protect jail and court staff?

 

I received one tip this morning about COVID concerns in the female dorm at the Humboldt County Correctional Facility. Allegedly, the female inmates are in and out of the jail daily and frequently. Later, I received more information from other sources. 

According to the sources, "a female inmate tested positive for COVID after being in the dorms for two days. The correctional deputies assigned to that female dorm are still working but are not allowed to interact with other employees and are to take their breaks away from everyone else."

"In the past, when a correctional deputy was around someone who tested positive for COVID 19, they were quarantined and so were any coworkers the correctional deputies had come in contact with but in this case that is not happening. The inmate had been in quarantine before moving to the dorm. The inmate was tested for COVID 19 on their way to court and that is when the test came back positive."

"An email was sent to the correctional deputies advising them about the inmate's  positive COVID test. The notification was on days when the correctional deputies were not working. When this issue was raised,  the deputies were told they should check their work email when they are off duty. "

"The correctional deputies fear retaliation if they file a grievance. Even though there isn't supposed to be retaliation, there is retaliation because they find ways to not promote people, assign them to different shifts, deny requests."

The sources are reliable and credible. However, like any situation, there are two sides. Read both this post and the one with responses from HCSO and the court.

I reached out to  HCSO PIO Samantha Karges for comment and cced  Humboldt Sheriff Honsal, two Humboldt County Supervisors and the Humboldt Superior Court CEO. That email was sent out right away, seconds after this post was published, for obvious reasons. Locals know the cost of speaking up in Humboldt. 

These people came to me just as many others do instead of going to other media because they trust me,  because they know I report what others do not and because I do original, investigative,  independent reporting.