Clarence Correctional Centre to isolate and test prisoners from Parklea
With Parklea Correctional Centre in Sydney having more than 70 confirmed Covid-19 cases, operators of the new Grafton jail say they are implementing all the best practices in response to the virus.
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The operators of the Clarence Correctional Centre have said anyone transferred in from a jail where a Covid-19 lockdown began on the weekend would be isolated and tested as part of its lockdown.
The lockdown was sparked when 12 inmates at Parklea Correctional Centre tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday and Saturday.
This number exploded to 73 inmates and one staff member testing positive on Tuesday as the government moves vaccination and clinicians into the private jail.
A spokesman for Clarence Correctional Centre operators Serco Australia said that the centre received inmate transfers from other correctional centres across NSW in line with Corrective Services NSW prison transfer policies.
“Any inmates recently transferred to Clarence Correctional Centre from Parklea Correctional Centre have been isolated and tested for Covid-19,” he said.
“They will remain in isolation and undergo further Covid-19 tests over the next 14 days.”
The spokesman said the centre had implemented best-practice policies for Covid-19 management, including deep cleaning processes.
“Personal protective equipment such as surgical masks, goggles, face coverings, Covid-19 gowns and latex gloves as well as hand soap and hand sanitisers are available for all staff at the centre,” he said.
“Face masks are mandatory for all staff as mandated by the Corrective Services NSW Commissioner.”
The spokesman said Serco continued to follow the expert advice of NSW Health and Justice Health and work closely with Corrective Services NSW to implement appropriate COVID-19 management protocols.
The statewide lockdown of jails has thrown the justice system into disarray, with many prisoners unable to use audio-video link services for court appearances.
The Clarence Correctional Centre is the largest centre in Australia, with a 1700-bed capacity, and is run by Serco Australia for the NSW Government for the next 20 years.
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