489 inmates and 184 staff in Ohio’s prisons have tested positive for COVID-19. More than 32,000 inmates in 20 of Ohio’s 28 prisons are under full quarantine. And now the head of the union representing those workers is too. Statehouse correspondent Karen Kasler reports.
Chris Mabe of the Ohio Civil Service Employees Association says his wife, who works at the Lorain Correctional Institution, has COVID-19. He’s been saying there isn’t enough testing, personal protective equipment and staff.
“The department I don’t believe is doing enough and they need to do more. And it’s time to call in the reserves as far as the National Guard to help (coughs) compliment the security inside the institutions.
Our people cannot continue to work like this.”The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction says in a statement that the agency is monitoring staffing and working with law enforcement and the National Guard, which is training members at the Marion facility and on a medical mission at Pickaway.
