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Luzerne County government had 16 employees out on quarantine this week because they had tested positive for coronavirus.
				Eight more remained home because they had potential exposure due to close contact with someone infected.
				County Human Resources Director Angela Gavlick provided the snapshot status based on a report from Tuesday.
				In comparison, the county had 41 employees in quarantine in early December &mdash; 24 for positive COVID-19 tests and 17 for potential exposure.
				Direct exposure is when someone is within 6 feet of an infected person for 15 minutes or more cumulatively over a 24-hour period, Gavlick has said. Quarantines run for 10 days, although return after seven days is possible if employees obtain a negative test completed under a specified time frame, she said.
				The county has approximately 1,500 employees.
				County Manager C. David Pedri lifted a limited service schedule on Monday but urged residents to continue taking advantage of online or mail access options if possible, with details posted at<a href="https://www.luzernecounty.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> luzernecounty.org</a>.
				Pedri said Wednesday he believes many people are seeking these options because foot traffic has been light this week. The courts also remain primarily closed through Feb. 26.
				Most county departments also have &ldquo;some remote component&rdquo; in which some staffers work from home in compliance with a state directive that telework in businesses and government &ldquo;must continue unless impossible.&rdquo;
				&ldquo;We&rsquo;re still getting the job done,&rdquo; Pedri said.
				In the county prison system, one inmate was known to have coronavirus Wednesday, compared to 38 the week before Christmas, said county Correctional Services Division Head Mark Rockovich.
				The prison received rapid tests from the state but is primarily administering the tests to inmates who are symptomatic or on the same prison block as someone who tests positive, Rockovich said. More widespread exploratory testing of the general population is not possible because the prison system does not have enough tests or nurses to administer that many, he said.
				The prison continues to segregate incoming inmates for monitoring before they are released into the general population, he said.

Luzerne County releases update on workers in quarantine