DPS cites privacy for scrapping deal to test NC prison workers for coronavirus

DPS offered virus tests to any staffer at Neuse Correctional who wanted one, but there was no mass testing effort there or with staff at any other North Carolina prison. Ten other prisons across the state have documented outbreaks among inmates – 173 infections and two deaths.

DPS doesn't publish statistics on how many prison staffers are infected.

NC shuts down Smithfield prison to shift staff to Goldsboro facility with major coronavirus outbreak

State Treasurer Dale Folwell thought he had an answer, lining up 20,000 tests and working with the State Employees Association of North Carolina to get prison workers tested. Folwell oversees the State Health Plan, which would pick up the cost for testing the prison staffers.

"With all the stress and anxiety that currently exists with correction and parole officers right now, that the last thing they need to be worried about is whether they’re carrying COVID-19 back home to their families," said Folwell, who himself had the illness and has since recovered.

He said he thought he had a deal with DPS for the testing, but plans were called off on Monday.

"People are angry. Some people are really depressed," SEANC Executive Director Ardis Watkins said.

Watkins said she believes the prison system backed out of the testing plan out of fear too many employees would test positive and be forced to miss work.

"I think that was a huge part of it for the department," she said.

Division of Adult Corrections Chief Deputy Secretary Tim Moose said that’s not the case.

"They have to be concerned with staffing levels, but they were never opposed to testing our staff," Moose said.

Prison crew cleaned state offices after COVID-19 suspended work release

Instead, he said, the concern was based on the safety and privacy of employees lined up in parking lots to get tested.

"We have never said that we don’t want to test our staff. We just want to find the right way to do it," he said.

DPS officials said they’re exploring other options to test employees, including mail-in tests. Watkins said she's not sold on that idea, noting there are questions about the accuracy of some of those tests.

Regardless of the reason, Watkins said DPS' decision to back out of testing sends the wrong message.

"Personnel who work in our prison system and who work in our community corrections do not feel they are a priority," she said.

"Having a bad result is not the reason not to do something," Folwell added.