COVID-19 Infections reported at Detention Center, County Offices

As of Monday morning, there are a total of 13 County-employed individuals who have tested positive for the coronavirus, including one in the Assessor’s Office, one in the Treasurer’s Office, and eight at the San Juan County Adult Detention Center. The remaining individuals work in departments with no interaction with the public. The individuals in the Assessor’s Office and Treasurer’s Office have not been in the office during a time when they may have been contagious.

From San Juan County:

Monday, December 14, 2020

San Juan County announces additional cases of COVID-19 among staff and detainees. County staff continue efforts to isolate the virus with use of masks and other personal protective equipment, social distancing, and sanitization in high-traffic areas.


As of Monday morning, there are a total of 13 County-employed individuals who have tested positive for the coronavirus, including one in the Assessor’s Office, one in the Treasurer’s Office, and eight at the San Juan County Adult Detention Center. The remaining individuals work in departments with no interaction with the public.


The individuals in the Assessor’s Office and Treasurer’s Office have not been in the office during a time when they may have been contagious, however, all work areas were sanitized out of an abundance of caution, and staff are still provided with personal protective equipment. There is no concern for transmission from staff to the public.


San Juan County staff will continue to implement COVID-safe practices in all County business.


San Juan County’s Goal is Green. Across the organization, we are keeping COVID-safe practices at the forefront of our routine to Protect our People. By reducing cases of COVID-19 in San Juan County, we can be on track to reduce restrictions, protect our medical providers and services, return students to the classroom, and protect our most vulnerable populations.


All San Juan County Facilities are open but require an appointment to conduct business. Please call ahead as many transactions can be handled over the phone or online at SJCounty.net. The San Juan County Treasurer’s office will also be closed to walk-in transactions, but appointments may be made for cash transactions and tax releases.


In addition to eight detention center staff, the San Juan County Adult Detention Center reports 6 contract staff and 56 detainees are all positive. As before, detainees are tested upon arrival and placed in appropriate housing based on their test result. Detainees are also provided with masks. Those who have tested positive are checked by medical staff regularly and will receive care as necessary. As a reminder, San Juan County Adult Detention Center staff are not allowed to release any medical information over the phone. Family members wishing to check on the medical status of a detainee must speak directly to the detainee. Following the increase in cases, the SJCADC has suspended all in-person religious visits for the detainee population. Other visits are still being handled through a virtual visitation system and remain uninterrupted. SJCADC continues to work with justice partners to keep population to a minimum.


While emergency services remain uninterrupted, there are also cases among volunteer members of the San Juan County Fire Department. Department policy calls for the use of proper PPE in all interactions with the public, and there is currently no concern for exposure to the public. Members are regularly checked for symptoms and after a possible exposure do not respond until a negative test is returned and they are cleared for duty.

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