St. Johnsbury prison on lockdown after staff member tests positive for COVID-19

ST. JOHNSBURY — An officer at the Northeast Correctional Complex in St. Johnsbury has tested positive for COVID-19.

Records show the officer was last in the facility on October 12.

Vermont Department of Corrections and Vermont Department of Health officials say NECC went on full lockdown on Thursday pending the outcome of contact tracing and mass testing scheduled for October 26.

All intakes are also being diverted from NECC, and contact tracing is underway, initiated with the Rapid Response Team.

Other staff identified as having close contact with the positive individual are quarantining and will be tested on October 26.

Any inmates transferred from NECC will follow quarantine protocol upon arrival at that facility.

In total, 23 Vermont DOC staff members have now tested positive for COVID-19.