WILMINGTON — In-person visits with Clinton County Jail inmates through a glass window will end Friday, March 13.

Implementation of two-way video and audio screen visitation occurred recently at the county jail and is available for family and friends.

There already were plans to discontinue the in-person inmate visitation at the end of March, but concerns about COVID-19 expedited the phase-out.

Prior to the installation of a live interactive video system, typical in-person inmate visitation times involved groups of family members and friends waiting in the lobby, providing an opportunity for various types of illness to spread, stated a sheriff’s office news release.

Visitors will need to schedule a video visit by going to www.videovisitanywhere.com to enroll.

In addition to reducing group contact among visitors waiting in the jail lobby, the sheriff’s office announced Thursday it will temporarily suspend access for programming that’s held in the jail.

“Considering Governor DeWine’s recent emergency declaration, we feel limiting group interaction is the responsible thing to do,“ a sheriff’s office news release stated.

The sheriff’s office will continue to provide national webcheck background checks and the processing of concealed carry (CCW) license applications until such time that it is deemed unsafe to continue those services. Anyone exhibiting signs of illness will not be granted service and advised to obtain medical care.

“While some inconvenience will occur, we feel it is important to take steps to protect the public as well as our employees from any potential and unnecessary exposure, which in turn should help to decrease the spread of this virus,” added the release.

Any questions you may have concerning COVID-19 should be directed to the Ohio Department of Health’s hotline at 1-833-427-5634. Hotline operation hours are seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.