There's good news out of a juvenile correctional center in Chesterfield County - Friday, the Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Center said it has seen no new cases of coronavirus in almost three weeks.
That's after 29 residents and 8 staff members have recovered from cases at the facility. Four staff members are still away from work, recovering from the virus.
The center is an all-male facility that houses boys under the age of 20. The first case among residents was detected on April 5, and the correctional center hasn't seen any cases since May 3.
Its website said the center has tested more than 100 residents.
In a Friday release, a spokesperson for the center wrote that almost all the resident's cases were asymptomatic, and none of the boys needed to be hospitalized.
"There are many challenges associated with delivering services in correctional settings across the country during the COVID-19 pandemic," the spokesperson wrote. "However, employees at the Department of Juvenile Justice’s (DJJ) Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Center have found innovative ways to provide programming while ensuring the safety of youth and staff."
The youth are social distancing while working in small groups and enjoying outdoor recreation time. The release said these boys are spending their free time reading or participating in other encouraged activities in their rooms, with the doors open.
Dr. Melinda Boone, the facility's interim Superintendent and Educational Consultant, said staff is working to provide classwork to help the boys achieve high school diplomas and college credit.
"Keeping our residents’ minds active and curious has been especially important during this pandemic," she wrote.
The facility stopped allowing in-person family visits in early March, and has not opened that opportunity back up yet. The website said the residents contact their families by telephone often.
