PENDLETON — Prisons in Umatilla County are reopening for visitation after being closed for more than four months due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, according to prison spokespersons.

Two Rivers Correctional Institution, Umatilla, began allowing visitors to pre-schedule their visits starting Wednesday, Nov. 10. Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution will reopen for its visitation on Nov. 17 and also requires people to schedule their visits ahead of time.

Ron Miles, a spokesperson for EOCI, said pre-scheduling is an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the prison and to accommodate the prison’s limited staff.

The state has barred visitation multiple times during the pandemic in response to rising COVID-19 cases. The latest closure came in July as the delta variant swept through Oregon, spokespersons said.

“We’re hopeful we won’t have to shut down again,” Miles said.

Miles said the prison is expecting to have a lot of requests for visitation after the prison has been closed for most of the pandemic. He said EOCI will have to briefly turn away some requests for visitation to keep groups small.

People can schedule their visit by calling ICS Corrections at 888-646-9437.

People can schedule their visit to Two Rives on the ICS Corrections website at bit.ly/3wGoseD.

At TRCI, each adult in custody will be allowed two visitors, including children. People can visit once a week for one session each day. The sessions are from 8-10:30 a.m. and 1-3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays through Sundays.

Visitors will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms and their temperatures will be checked. Masks and “hand hygiene” are required.