Days after a staff member at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility tested positive for COVID-19, follow-up testing found no other cases at the South Burlington women's prison, according to the Vermont Department of Corrections.

The facility has been locked down since Monday, when the staff member in question tested positive for the coronavirus. Those identified as having had close contact with the employee have been asked to quarantine. Late Friday, the department announced in a press release that all 198 inmates and staff tested Thursday were found to be negative.
“Our number one goal in the Vermont Department of Corrections is to keep our facilities clean of COVID-19,” interim Commissioner Jim Baker said in a written statement. “Because of the hard work of staff and our management team, Vermont leads the country in correctional systems that are successfully mitigating the spread of COVID.”

According to spokesperson Rachel Feldman, the department is planning to test inmates and staff again at a date to be determined. She said the facility would remain locked down for the time being.