COVID causes concern among sheriffs

NORWALK — COVID-19 is ravaging through the depth charts of area police and fire departments, decimating staffing levels for these essential safety service agencies. Within the past month, several badged officers have contracted the coronavirus or headed into quarantine after coming into contact with someone exhibiting symptoms. In other words, they can't work, leaving others — through part-time help or overtime means — to step in and fill this virus-caused void. Local health departments, along with officials representing these departments, continue to contact trace in hopes of determining where this spread originated. But, in the meantime, these agencies must continue to serve and protect those living, traveling through or vacationing in their respective zones. Leaders from several local departments explained the negative and direct impacts on their agencies: Erie County sheriff, answers provided by Sheriff Paul Sigsworth • Number of employees testing positive as of Oct. 1: 4 • Number of employees quarantining as of Oct. 1: 8 Of the four who have tested positive, "One returned to work several weeks ago, one is still off, and two just tested positive this past weekend." Of those who have been quarantined, "several had been able to work while quarantined, and many have since returned to work on a full-time basis." • Department COVID policy: "We will not allow an employee who has been confirmed to be positive for COVID-19 to report for work until cleared by their family physician and/or the Erie County Health Department. We will not allow them to work so that we may avoid, as much as possible, that employee transmitting COVID-19 to other employees, to the general public and/or to jail inmates. An employee who is in quarantine as directed by the health department as a result of direct exposure with an individual who has tested positive, but the employee is not exhibiting any COVID-19 symptoms himself/herself, may report for work while wearing proper personal protective equipment with the permission of the health department. This procedure allows us to continue to staff essential public safety positions without working short-staffed and/or scheduling overtime. Those who are in quarantine as the result of a positive COVID-19 test will remain in quarantine until released to return to work by the health department and/or their personal physician." • More: "We have had numerous employees exposed to another person who has tested positive for COVID-19, however, the employees were wearing proper personal protective equipment at the time, and those employees have not contracted the disease. If the employee was not wearing proper personal protective equipment at the time of the exposure, we will contact the health department and rely on that agency's guidance. In general, the employee may continue to work while wearing proper personal protective equipment at all times unless the employee begins to experience COVID-19 symptoms, at which time additional precautions will be taken regarding that employee." • COVID concern: "This is of great concern to me, and it is becoming more of a concern as the number of positive COVID-19 test results continues to increase throughout Erie County and the region. We have to continue to deliver emergency and public safety services 24/7/365, and it is essential that our employees remain as healthy as possible to allow for the uninterrupted delivery of those critical services. We also don't want our employees to contract an illness that could have long-term, debilitating effects on their personal health or the health of their family members." Huron County Sheriff's Office, answers provided by Sheriff Todd Corbin • Number of employees testing positive as of Oct. 1: 3 • Number of employees quarantining as of Oct. 1: 11 • Department COVID policy: "We are doing everything in our power to limit the exposure to our deputies and corrections officers. We are following all the health department guidelines. We are spraying the office down every night. We are isolating inmates when they come in. We take their temperature. They are placed in quarantine for 10 days before being allowed in the general population." • COVID concern: "My biggest concern is that, if there is an outbreak inside the sheriff's office, it will put the public at risk because we won't be able to handle complaints or emergency calls for service. We've slowed down the office intentionally to make sure we can limit deputies' exposure to the general public as much as possible."