COVID-19: McLean County Jail Numbers Up to 5

08/13/2020

I frequently file Freedom of Information Acts (FOIA) with the McLean County Jail for information on population numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic.¹ Just last week, Sheriff Jon Sandage announced there were 3 inmates and two staff members who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

According to a FOIA I received yesterday, the number of inmates infected has risen to 5 as of August 6th, 2020.

“As of August 6th, we have… had 5 positive tests on inmates.”

When I first read this, I initially thought of all tests done on inmates five returned back positive. Of course, that is not what I asked for: I specifically requested the number of inmates who had tested positive, not the number of positive tests performed on inmates.

I contacted the jail FOIA officer, Mary Lou Allman, to clarify. She told me this is the information she received from medical staff so it must mean the numbers have risen to 5 inmates. Hopefully, this was a mistake but considering how lax Sheriff deputies and jail staff are about wearing masks, I wouldn’t doubt if the number continues to rise.

Furthermore, it confirms the jail did not start properly testing until the Pritzker administration required it in order to transfer inmates to IDOC.

1. This is only because the jail refuses to give this information over the phone and requires one to FOIA which automatically has a five day turn around time.