Official Site of The State of New Jersey

VISITATION (Updated May 5, 2023)

Effective May 6, 2023, the NJDOC will be returning to pre-pandemic indoor, contact visitation guidelines.

Each institution will continue with pre-visit scheduling by appointment only and allow the institution to inform potential visitors of any relevant rules, guidelines, approvals, and expectations and avoid unforeseen issues during the in-person visit.

Sanitation before and after visit sessions will continue to be performed by staff.

Please note that, though masking is not required, staff, visitors, and incarcerated persons will be permitted to mask, and surgical masks will be available for such requests.

Visitation guidelines are subject to revision to enhanced mitigation efforts in the event of an institutional outbreak or based on community transmission levels. Enhanced prevention strategies in such cases are vetted through the NJDOC Health Services Unit, Rutgers UCHC, and NJDOH.

MITIGATION GUIDELINES (Updated Feb. 20, 2023)

Guidelines for staff and incarcerated person COVID-19 mitigation are developed based on CDC recommendations. All updates are in consultation with the Health Service Unit, Rutgers University contracted healthcare provider, and the New Jersey Department of Health. Continual monitoring and data trending of NJDOC incarcerated persons, staff, and community spread levels have additionally informed these decisions.

The following measures are required:

• Routine Covid-19 testing and routine quarantines for incarcerated persons will cease in line with CDC guidelines. Contact tracing, non-routine testing, and isolation placements will continue to be guided by a healthcare provider. Intake testing will remain in place for incarcerated persons received from County Jails.
• Continue with frequent sanitizing of common areas for both staff and incarcerated population.
• Staff and incarcerated persons are to mask at all times in the following areas: all medical, mental health, and dental areas at all times and in ALL areas when the COVID community level of the institution is high (Orange).
• Incarcerated persons shall be strongly encouraged to wear cloth or surgical masks outside their sleeping area when COVID community transmission level is high.

TESTING

Per recent CDC guidance, routine weekly asymptomatic testing will be suspended for all incarcerated persons.

QUARANTINE

Per recent CDC guidance, contacts of COVID positive individuals will no longer be routinely quarantined. Instead, contacts determined by proximity to positive individuals (e.g., bunkmate) or through contact tracing will be tested on or after day five (from the date of last exposure). In addition, contacts should be given surgical masks and strongly advised to wear a mask whenever outside sleeping areas for ten days from the date of exposure.

In circumstances where the need for non-routine quarantine arises, CDC guidance will be used to determine quarantine parameters. Such considerations include cohort size, testing, and masking.

SANITIZING

Frequent sanitizing of common areas is required.

MASKING AND PPE

• Staff transporting COVID-19-positive incarcerated persons in a vehicle shall wear an N95 mask, eye protection, gloves, and gown.
• Staff shall wear surgical masks at all times in the following areas: all medical, mental health, and dental areas.
• Incarcerated persons shall be strongly encouraged to wear cloth or surgical masks when outside their sleeping area when COVID community transmission level is high.
• Staff shall wear an N95 mask, eye protection, gloves, and gown when seeing patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 or when entering isolation or quarantine units.

GENERAL

Staff should not report to work if they are sick.