Lamont McClure and the Department of Corrections announce that Northampton County Prison (NCP) is continuing its efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 within its facility. At this time, all vendors and employees of vendors who are attached to the prison and/or have a contract with NCP must be ­fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to enter the institution. Vendors include GD Food Services, PrimeCare, Keefe Commissary, etc.

Should an employee of any vendor claim they have a legitimate medical or religious exemption from vaccination, acceptable proof of the exemption must be shown to and approved by the vendor. The Department of Corrections will require a list of the employees who have been exempted from vaccination by the vendor and the reason. It is up to the vendor to keep track of and maintain such information of its employees and approve only legally legitimate exemptions.

“The current outbreak is a result of people being unvaccinated,” says Lamont McClure. “We need to do everything we can to keep the people who work and live at NCP as safe as possible and, right now, our best chance of doing that is to increase the vaccination rate.”

NCP Corrections Officers and other staff are strongly encouraged to get a COVID-19 vaccination. If they do so they are eligible to receive a one-time $500 bonus. As of September 14^th, 80 of the 211 Corrections Officers have applied to the Human Resources department with proof of their vaccination status.

A COVID-19 drive-through vaccination clinic and testing site is open at 3100 Emrick Blvd. Bethlehem Township, 18020. Hours of operation are Monday/Wednesday/Friday from 10:00AM – 2:00PM and Tuesday/Thursday from 2:00PM to 6:00PM. The site will be open on Saturday, September 18^th from 10:00AM – Noon for vaccinations only. The drive-through testing center is located in the parking area to the rear of the Coordinated Health Building and is separate from patient parking and routine patient care.

A Physician’s order is not required to be tested. The drive-through site is open to everyone, but only residents of Northampton County will receive a free test if they do not have health coverage. All testing will be through HNL Lab Medicine unless insurance requires an alternate laboratory. Participants should bring a photo ID and their insurance card, if they have one, with them to the testing site.

To make an appointment for a vaccine at the COVID-19 drive-thru testing site use one of the following options:

1. Schedule at the LVHN website at LVHN.org/appointment.
2. Schedule on the MyLVHN patient portal, at MyLVHN.org.
3. Call 833-584-6283

Information provided to TVL by:
Becky Bartlett
Deputy Director of Administration
Northampton County Government Center
669 Washington Street
Easton, PA 18042
https://www.northamptoncounty.org/

 

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