HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (DOC) Acting Secretary George Little announced Monday that the department is suspending in-person visitation at all state correctional institutions from Jan. 27 through Feb. 28, 2022.
The move will allow facilities to more effectively allocate staff amid a surge of COVID-19 cases throughout the commonwealth.
“Staffing levels have been significantly impacted throughout the winter months by the same uptick in COVID-19 cases that our communities are experiencing,” said Little.
“Even when symptoms are mild, quarantine requirements for COVID-positive staff and close contacts of those who have tested positive have led to an increased reliance on voluntary and mandated overtime that is not sustainable.”
Recreation, education and access to programming will not be impacted by the state-wide suspension in visitation; however, delivery of some services may be modified at the facility level to promote social distancing.
Availability of no-cost video visits will be increased, and the department will provide cable television to the incarcerated population at no charge during the month of February.
“We recognize the stress a suspension of in-person visitation may place on incarcerated individuals and their loved ones, and we will work to mitigate those issues,” said Little. “This is a temporary measure to ensure critical positions in our facilities remain staffed.”
Those with an in-person visit scheduled for Jan. 27 or later will receive a cancellation notice via e-mail. When onsite visitation resumes, visitors 12 years and older will be required to affirm they have been vaccinated against COVID-19 during the scheduling process and may be asked to provide proof of vaccination before entering the facility.
Up-to-date information on COVID-19 within the DOC system is available on the agency’s COVID-19 dashboard.
