San Francisco, CA – San Francisco Sheriff Paul Miyamoto released the San Francisco Sheriff Office’s COVID-19 Response and Action Plan, which covers operations and actions the Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Public Health’s Jail Health Services will take to minimize the risk of exposure if there is a coronavirus outbreak in the community and jails.
The plan builds on years of emergency health planning and outlines responses that address every level of the outbreak.
“The good news is that the Sheriff’s Office is always prepared for emergencies including public health emergencies,” said Sheriff Paul Miyamoto. “Our deputies are trained to manage communicable diseases and protect the public, the incarcerated and themselves.”
The Department of Public Health’s Jail Health Services reports that there have been no coronavirus cases in San Francisco county jails to date. “We screen every person for infectious diseases as part of the jail booking process, which is part of our usual process. In addition, we have instituted enhanced screening and isolation procedures to rapidly identify and separate any person with concerning symptoms,” said Dr. Lisa Pratt, Jail Health Services Medical Director.
Sheriff Miyamoto said the Sheriff’s Office had already taken several steps to prevent the coronavirus from spreading to the jails and other public spaces where deputies provide law enforcement services. This includes:
- Working with the Department of Public Health to identify and support the most vulnerable populations.
- Posting notices to incarcerated people and the public educating them about prevention strategies including frequent hand washing and not touching your face.
- Issuing training bulletins, health safety reminders and video messages to staff advising them how to protect the public and themselves from community outbreak.
- Emailing the jail visitor population and advising them to postpone visits if they have been exposed to coronavirus or feel ill.
- Increased cleaning and sanitizing of jails and workspaces.
- Identifying housing for medical isolation if needed.
“The Sheriff’s Office and Jail Health Services are working in close collaboration to protect incarcerated people and the staff working with them. Our strategies will continue to evolve and mirror community public health measures,” said Dr. Pratt.
Led by elected Sheriff Paul Miyamoto, the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office serves the people of San Francisco by administering the county jails, providing security for the Superior Court and other high-profile public buildings, and performing civil court orders. The Sheriff’s Office employs more than 850 sworn staff and almost 200 non-sworn employees.