Inmates who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will once again be allowed in-person visits in Philadelphia prisons.
The prisons had been closed since early in the pandemic to mitigate the spread of coronavirus – a period of about two years. In-person visits will resume starting Monday, though appointments must be made 48 hours in advance and only one adult and one child aged 5 to 17 will be allowed per visit for now, the Philadelphia Department of Prisons announced.
People can already sign up for a visit online. They will be required to arrive no more than 10 minutes early, wear a mask and have their temperature checked. Anyone with a temperature above 100.4 degrees will not be allowed in.
The visits will be limited to one hour per week. The PDP said it will revise visitation privileges for children 4 and under “as the implementation of vaccination is rolled out.”
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“We understand the importance of allowing the family and friends of incarcerated people to interact with their loved ones. With positivity rates and hospitalization rates continuing to decline locally, the PDP has determined that we can safely resume in-person visitation at our facilities,” Commissioner Blanche Carney said in a written statement.
Free phone calls and virtual visits will continue to be offered to all inmates, regardless of vaccination status.
