Three Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office deputies are self-quarantined as a precaution because of possible exposure to the COVID-19 coronavirus, Sheriff Dave Marshak said today (March 27).
Two of the deputies believe they could have been exposed to the coronavirus while on duty, and the other just returned from a trip to Mexico and may have been exposed while staying in that country, Marshak said.
He said none of the deputies had shown symptoms of the disease as of today, so they had not been tested. He would not say where the two deputies were on duty when they encountered someone who may have been carrying the virus.
However, one of the two deputies was interviewing a witness Wednesday night (March 25) at a business where a crime had occurred, Marshak said. He would not release the name of the business or where it is located.
After the witness was interviewed and filled out paperwork for the deputy, the witness told the deputy a family member had tested positive for the coronavirus, Marshak said.
The deputy informed his superior officer about the incident, and after researching the witness’s name, the Sheriff's Office learned a different deputy had been to the person’s home days earlier because of a report of a stolen vehicle.
“One of the concerning things is despite these people knowing (a family member tested positive for the COVID-19 virus), they were out shopping,” Marshak said. “They didn’t take any extra precautions and didn’t inform the deputy about this until after their interaction.”
The deputy who vacationed in Mexico cut the trip short and is now staying home for 14 days as a precaution, Marshak said.
He would not say where the three deputies live, and he said he was not sure how long the deputies had been employed at the Sheriff’s Office. He said about 180 deputies work for the Sheriff’s Office.
Jefferson County first responders are expected to start receiving personal protective equipment, like masks, gloves, safety glasses, gowns and booties to cover their shoes, around April 1, according to Ron Harder, who is acting as the public information officer for the Jefferson County Emergency Management Department during the coronavirus pandemic.
Harder, who also is the public information officer for the Rock Community Fire Protection District, said the supplies will be collected and distributed from the Jefferson County Emergency Management and Hazmat Center in Herculaneum.
However, because those items are in short supply, Marshak said deputies and other first responders may have to wait to receive the protective gear until after health care workers get them.
“Historically, fire, EMS, police have been the ones on the front lines, the first responders,” Marshak said. “Today, it is the health care professionals. When we prioritize equipment, they are the ones on the front line right now, and they need the equipment first.”
