Preventing the coronavirus in the Butte County jail

Sheriff Kory Honea is not taking any chances with the coronavirus.

While most of us have a choice in whether we stay home altogether or practice social distancing as we still go out to work or shop -- not everyone has those freedoms. action news now reporter jafet serrato shows us how deputies and inmates are handling these uncertain times.

(sheriff kory honea:) "this is not a time to panic.

This is the time to prepare" sheriff kory honea is not taking*an* chances with the coronavirus.

(honea:) "what we have done is institute enhanced screening procedures for everybody who is arrested and brought into the jail."

If someone has a temperature higher than 104 degrees or experience any symptoms related to the virus - deputies might not them in.

(sheriff kory honea:) "we're currently working with the courts to obtain additional authority... that would allow us to cite and release those people and have them come back to court at a later date" (nats: jail door closing) (standup:) "right now the jail holds 560 inmates with room for about only 50 more.

Sheriff honea tells me if the virus does reach his jail, that's a big worry."

(sheriff kory honea:) "if we had a significant outbreak within the facility.

That would be extremely difficult for us to manage given the number of medical beds we have" honea tells me his jail only has three beds.

But honea - and all of us - are no strangers to emergencies - most recently the camp fire and the oroville spillway.

(sheriff kory honea:) "that emergency was visited upon us instantaneously and we had to react..

If theres an upside to what were experiencing now is the fact that we have notice" and just like those times - honea says we'll get through this.

In butte county jafet serrato action news now coverage you can count on!

The sheriff's office is still allowing people to visit -- through a glass partition.

Inmates are also deep cleaning their own cells.### businesses