VILLAGERS’ FEARS OVER PRISON COVID

FEARS STAFF AND DELIVERIES COULD SPREAD THE VIRUS

VILLAGERS are worried a Covid outbreak in a prison could spill out into the community.

There have been a high number of cases at HMP Dovegate for more than a week

Bosses of the Category B jail, just outside Marchington, said there were 156 cases among staff and inmates as of Tuesday, January 25

They have moved to reassure the public they are taking all possible precautions.

But villager Grahame Taylor fears infections could spread into Marchington and beyond.

Mr Taylor said: “The focus seems to be on the people locked up in the prison, but my concern is the possible effect on the community outside.

“We see the same drivers delivering to the prison and the village. Those drivers sometimes use the village shop, as is the case with some prisoners who are discharged.

“I’m told many of the staff at the prison travel to and from work from Stoke on Trent. I believe there’s a danger to the population.”

The prison says it is not responsible for prisoners once they have left the prison.

It says delivery drivers have no contact with prisoners and most do not enter the prison at all.

Covid-positive inmates are not released into the community, but are taken to the address where they will self-isolate.

Prison director Clare Pearson said: “We are continuing to work closely with Public Health England, the NHS and our healthcare partners and together we are taking every measure possible to contain the virus.

“I would like to reassure the local community that we are taking every precaution possible to control this dreadful virus.

“This includes regular testing for everyone who works at the prison and we are making sure that proper precautions are taken when handling deliveries, which are vital for the daily life of the prison.”

HMP Dovegate has the capacity for around 1,100 inmates and is run by private firm Serco on a government contract. Measures being taken at HMP Dovegate to control the outbreak

Some UK jails have been asking inmates in priority groups whether they want to be vaccinated.

An NHS spokesperson said any such correspondence has not been sent by the NHS. The spokesperson said: “No prisoners have received the vaccine yet but the NHS is legally required to vaccinate prisoners in eligible cohorts, such as those over 80, in line with the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) guidance.”

When the vaccine is rolled out to prisoners, healthcare workers will administer it inside jails, rather than inmates travelling to public vaccination centres.