For the first time in more than a year, visitors will be allowed at Michigan prisons.
Since the pandemic began last March, more than 25,000 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19. 139 have died from the disease.
Michigan Department of Corrections spokesperson Chris Gautz says visitors will need to test negative for the virus at the prison.He says there will also be other precautions.
“There'll be plexiglass in between them when they have the visit. So that's obvious, a little bit different, but right now this is the safest way.”
Gautz says about half of those incarcerated will be vaccinated by the time the visits resume.
About 25% of inmates have been vaccinated so far.
“As we've seen, more and more prisoners and staff become vaccinated, more members of the public become vaccinated, are seeing our numbers around the state in general, trending in a good downward projection, it felt that now was time,” Gautz says.
