News and Commentary

Individual With COVID ‘Symptoms’ Placed In ‘Isolation’ Facility After Refusing Coronavirus Test

   DailyWire.com
Abs COVID-19 structure - 3d rendered image structure view on black background. Viral Infection concept. MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, ТОРС, 2019-nCoV, Wuhan Coronavirus. Design element. RNA. High resolution.
Koto Feja, Getty Images

On April 2, an individual from upstate New York was placed in an isolation facility staffed by officers and was held until April 7 after refusing to take a coronavirus test.

The person in question, whose name has yet to be released by authorities, allegedly violated the county’s isolation order and had visible “symptoms” of the virus while out in public.

“The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office housed the individual at the COVID Confinement Area, located at 750 E. Henrietta Rd., Brighton, NY on April 2, 2020 at the request of a Monroe County Department of Public Health issued ‘Health Order of Isolation,'” the Monroe County sheriff’s office told The Daily Wire via email on Tuesday, adding, “The individual was released on April 7, 2020.”

The authority to hold the individual derives from the Monroe County Department of Public Health’s “Health Order of Isolation,” the sheriff’s office said.

It’s unclear what the individual did to violate the “isolation” order, and when asked for specifics on the violation, the sheriff’s office directed The Daily Wire to a press release issued by the department earlier this month.

“Last evening, April 2, 2020, at approximately 9:30 p.m., the Monroe County Department of Public Health imposed a civil order placing a non-compliant individual displaying symptoms consistent with COVID-19 and refusing testing, in secure isolation,” the press release outlined. “The individual was given multiple opportunities to comply with the health department order.”

“The Monroe County Public Health Department has determined the individual’s non-compliance with a health order of isolation endangers the safety, health and well-being of the citizens of Monroe County,” it continued. “Based on the Monroe County Department of Public Health order, specially trained MSCO deputies detained and transported the individual to Strong Memorial Hospital for evaluation, and then to the MCSO Brighton facility, located at 750 E. Henrietta Rd.; a pre-planned location to quarantine individuals failing to comply.”

“Specially trained MCSO deputies are staffing the newly established quarantine location in Brighton,” the release added.

“You know, I’ve been a police officer for almost 35 years. I’ve never even dreamed about doing something like this,” Monroe County Sheriff Todd K. Baxter said, according to WHAM 13 News.

On Monday, Attorney General William Barr announced that “he has directed the Department of Justice (DOJ) to start taking action against states and localities that are violating American’s civil liberties as a result of the coronavirus pandemic,” The Daily Wire reported.

“I am directing each of our United States Attorneys to also be on the lookout for state and local directives that could be violating the constitutional rights and civil liberties of individual citizens,” Barr wrote in the memo. “As the Department of Justice explained recently in guidance to states and localities taking steps to battle the pandemic, even in times of emergency, when reasonable and temporary restrictions are placed on rights, the First Amendment and federal statutory law prohibit discrimination against religious institutions and religious believers.”

Related: AG Barr Directs DOJ To Go After States, Localities Violating Civil Liberties Over Coronavirus

The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a member.

Got a tip worth investigating?

Your information could be the missing piece to an important story. Submit your tip today and make a difference.

Submit Tip
The Daily Wire   >  Read   >  Individual With COVID ‘Symptoms’ Placed In ‘Isolation’ Facility After Refusing Coronavirus Test