Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Coronavirus (COVID-19) has profoundly impacted correctional facilities, requiring significant adaptations to protect the health of inmates, staff, and visitors. This section offers articles that examine the response to the COVID-19 pandemic within correctional systems, including containment strategies, vaccination efforts, and the long-term implications for prison health care. Understanding the effects of COVID-19 on correctional operations is essential for professionals navigating this ongoing public health challenge. For related information, explore resources on Correctional Healthcare.
Of the 9,163 staff members who aren’t considered fully vaccinated, only 2,340 have submitted weekly test results
The fee, up to $55 per month, is intended to offset the costs of required weekly testing
About 1,900 employees had yet to comply with the mandate by Monday night; the deadline was 5 p.m. Tuesday
Inmates have produced nearly 200,000 cloth masks that are to be worn by prison employees and inmates
Convicted former pharmaceutical company CEO Martin Shkreli wants to be released for three months so he can do laboratory work “under strict supervision”
“They literally leaving us in here to die,” said Aaron Campbell, an inmate at an Ohio federal prison where three people have died from COVID-19
Each employee eligible for hazard pay will receive a 5% raise based on their base salary
The University of Minnesota will test the effectiveness of hyroxychloroquine in preventing or treating the disease
If passed, the HEROES Act would provide four months of federal tax relief for firefighters, EMS providers, law enforcement and corrections officers, and healthcare personnel
Officials fear that an outbreak of the swift-spreading and contagious disease could overwhelm prison staff and local hospitals in the mostly rural area
Officers are wearing masks and gloves, but have been cautioned to save them for longer periods as shortages loom
A judge ruled that although Baca faced a heightened risk of contracting COVID-19, releasing him on bail wouldn’t mitigate the threat to his health
The lawsuit says conditions at FCC Oakdale “run afoul of the prisoners’ Eighth Amendment protection from cruel and unusual punishment”
Experts share ways correctional officers can help minimize the risk of contracting the coronavirus
From a lack of medical screening to PPE deficits, the response to COVID-19 is testing correctional facilities nationwide
Industry association websites, webinars and resources offer training, procedures and advocacy for their members who are on the frontline pandemic response
Caring for ourselves during trying times can help keep our lives in balance
The 53-year-old male inmate’s death marks the state’s first COVID-19 prisoner fatality
COs and union leaders are demanding PPE, hazard pay, sick leave and temporary suspension of transfers and admittance of non-security or non-medical personnel
Officers and inmates across the state prison system described conditions ripe for an outbreak, with a shortage of sanitizing products and lax policies at some prisons
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart has repeatedly denied allegations that conditions at the facility are unsanitary or inadequate
The corrections department said the fight came after more than a day of unrest about new security restrictions to prevent a spread of COVID-19
The three-judge court said they do not have authority under a 2009 order limiting the state’s prison population levels
A 263-page document says the design of the state’s prisons, overcrowding and understaffing make it “impossible” to keep COs and inmates safe from COVID-19
Officer Quinsey Simpson, an 18-year NYC DOC veteran, worked in the security operations division at Rikers Island
Officials said the masks are intended to “reduce the amount of droplets expelled from a person’s cough or sneeze”
MDOC spokesperson Chris Gautz said that more than 50 prison staff members have tested positive for COVID-19
Highest priority was given to inmates who are being held at FCC Oakdale, a prison complex in Louisiana where five inmates have died
The correctional officers said many of their deliveries have brought tears to the recipients’ eyes
Officials are following the CDC’s guidance and the warden said he regularly checks on inmates and staff
Kenneth Moore, a D.C. native, was a corrections officer at the Department of Youth Rehabilitative Services
Officials said inmates at Elayn Hunt Correctional Center have “worked tirelessly to produce large quantities of hand sanitizer”
The officer who tested positive had been quarantined in response to another officer testing positive for COVID-19 last week
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