Sheriff David Harder

The argument surrounds the county jail’s reduction in visitation hours, while a larger legal battle continues over visitation restrictions at the jail.

"People have been without personal contact from a loved one for over two years now."

Holland said she was put in solitary confinement, denied medical treatment, housed in the men's facility and harassed.

The activists say women and pregnant people at the jail are being denied access to medications, nutrition and medical care and subjected to voyeurism from the guards.

“Why house us with somebody we can constantly contract it [from] every time a new intake person comes in."

The Broome County Sheriff said half of the jail’s staff has refused to get one.

"Why is it state-sentenced inmates are being punished by not getting the same treatment as every other state inmate all because we're housed in county jails?"

“Most of the inmates are isolated from each other,” Harder added. “They’re not allowed out of their cells. They’re basically quarantined to keep the spread down.”

There are 580 active cases of the virus in Broome County and 29 hospitalized residents.

The coalition comes after a push by NY law enforcement to add protections for police.