Governor Northam calls for increased COVID-19 testing in two federally-run detention facilities

~ In letter to Virginia’s congressional delegation, Governor says state health officials ready to assist federal government ~

Governor Ralph Northam today urged the federal government to implement additional screening and testing for COVID-19 in two federally-run detention centers in Virginia, the Farmville Detention Center, and the Caroline County Detention Center, and offered state support to do so.

In a letter to Virginia’s congressional delegation, Governor Northam wrote that testing everyone in the facilities, including detainees, staff, and contractors, will help protect the health of those living in the facilities, as well as the surrounding communities.

Both detention centers are operated by the federal government, and the Commonwealth has limited authority to enter them. However, these facilities are congregated settings, where COVID-19 spreads more easily. The Virginia Department of Health is supporting point prevalence surveys in other congregate settings, such as long-term care facilities and correctional facilities. Increased testing in those settings helps mitigate the spread of the virus, both within the facility and in the communities in which the facilities are located.

The full text of the Governor’s letter is below:

Dear Members of the Virginia Congressional Delegation:

As Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the health and safety of all Virginians is a priority, especially during this unprecedented pandemic. Those Virginians include employees, contractors, and detainees of federal facilities and the communities in which these facilities are located.

In order to protect the health of employees and the individuals being held at Farmville Detention Center and Caroline County Detention Center in Virginia, I am writing to urge the federal government to implement additional screening and testing for COVID-19. These are congregate settings where the virus, once introduced, could spread rapidly. In Virginia, my administration has been supporting point prevalence surveys (testing for all residents and staff) in our state correctional facilities, long-term care facilities, and other congregate settings.

Increased testing will help to slow the spread by identifying those in the facility that need to be isolated and treated, and prevent it from getting out into the communities where the facility is
located. The Virginia Department of Health would be happy to support these facilities with a point prevalence survey.

The State Health Commissioner has a limited right to enter any property, with the consent of the owner, and solely for the purpose of determining compliance with provisions of the law administered by the Virginia Department of Health, an order of the Board of Health or the Commissioner, or conditions in a license. These detention facilities are not licensed by the Commissioner or governed by any applicable law or order for which the Commissioner would be able to determine compliance, nor would the Commissioner have the authority to make the detention centers take any corrective action.

Therefore, I request that the Virginia Congressional Delegation urge the federal government to increase screening and testing for COVID-19 within these detention centers.

Again, the Virginia Department of Health would be willing to support these efforts. Thank you for your service to our fellow Virginians.

Ralph S. Northam