Video Visitation Helps Facilities Avoid Flu Outbreak
March 1, 2018
The 2017-18 flu season has been a particularly bad one. It has caused schools to recess in at least 12 states, leading to an obvious disruption in routine. The disruption has also spread to other institutions.
Some prisons have been shutting down in-person visitation for fear of spreading the flu between staff, officers, inmates, and their loved ones. Other facilities have used technology to help manage the spread of the flu by offering remote and on-site video visitation as an alternative to in-person visitation.
Regardless of how correctional facilities choose to utilize video visitation, it can be a viable option when an epidemic as severe as the flu strikes. Inmates are often housed in close proximity to one another; making an outbreak of the flu especially difficult for any facility to manage.
Video visitation ensures that incarcerated individuals can maintain and continue to strengthen their bonds with families and friends without contributing to a potential flu outbreak. Birthdays, holidays, and weekend visits don’t stop for the flu, and having a tool like video visitation available means that seeing friends and family members doesn’t have to be put on hold.
Strong bonds with family and friends is key for maintaining good mental health, promoting successful rehabilitation, and reducing recidivism rates. Video visitation is one communication tool that helps keep those bonds strong and gives incarcerated individuals the ability to maintain their health while keeping facility staff, officers and inmates’ loved ones healthy as well.
Press Contact:
Vinnie Mascarenhas
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