PARIS – Inmates at the jails in Androscoggin and Oxford counties will not be allowed visitors as officials hope to prevent the spread of swine flu.

Androscoggin inmates may have non-contact visits starting some time next week but Oxford inmates have been told that all visitations are now banned.

The Oxford ban will continue indefinitely until the sheriff’s office receives some sort of assurance from the Maine Center for Disease Control or the federal government that the swine flu is under control, said Captain Ernie Martin.

Martin said the decision was made at a sheriff’s association meeting held in the Vasalboro criminal justice academy on Thursday afternoon. The sheriffs agreed to limit or restrict access to the jails by stopping any visitation, contact or non contact, said Martin.

The ban does not affect the Farmington County jail as of Friday morning, according to assistant jail administrator Doug Blauvelt.

Oxford County Sheriff officials are meeting this afternoon with Emergency Management Agency Director Scott Parker to review further details of the plan.