Walker-Sayle on lockdown after COVID-19 active case count reaches 100

The Walker-Sayle prison unit active case count has reached nearly 100 active cases as of Monday, November 30. The prison has 96 active cases, and 55 individuals have recovered.

The unit also has eight employees as active cases, and 23 employees have recovered. The Walker-Sayle Unit has 254 individuals under medical restriction, and 96 individuals are under medical isolation, according to statistics from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Walker-Sayle is on lockdown for the second time in recent months after a spike in COVID-19 active cases.

The Walker-Sayle prison had an outbreak of the COVID-19 virus in August, with the unit going into lockdown after a large number of inmates tested positive for COVID-19.

On Monday, August 17, the unit reported 75 individuals as active cases, with four individuals recovered, according to data from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ).

The data also counts three employees as active cases, and seven employees as recovered. TDCJ data showed 244 individuals with medical restrictions at the facility, and 75 individuals are medically isolated.

The restriction characterization stresses that when an offender in TDCJ is in close contact with a confirmed or suspected COVID-19 case. Whenever the case is another offender or staff member, the inmate is placed in medically restrictive housing for 14 days.

Medical observation will occur in the medical restriction area (cell or dorm) and have temperature checks daily.

Meals will be served in the restriction area, and offenders are excluded from group activities. Staff interacting with medically restricted offenders will wear personal protective equipment (PPE).

Although the Walker-Sayle Unit is in Stephens County, the total number of active or recovered cases do not factor into the case count within the community.

The Walker-Sayle unit currently has a capacity of 632, with a population of over 500 and nearly 150 employees.