Sheriff expands safety measures at Cook County jail

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart has expanded protective measures at the Cook County jail to include opening previously shuttered buildings for separation and quarantine and requesting tents for outdoor areas.

In addition to screenings and temperature checks for new inmates, jail officials established receiving tiers in which new detainees are housed together for seven days for observation. If they do not show signs of the virus after review by medical personnel, they are moved to the general population.

There have been no known cases of COVID-19 at Cook County jail, according to a statement from the sheriff's department.

In that statement, Dart indicated the sheriff's department would work to establish videoconferencing for bond hearings and provide inmates with 30 free minutes of weekly phone calls in lieu of social visits.