Covid-19 rages in overcrowded California prisons

by



[ad_1]

That means the total number of inmate infections in California now stands at more than 22,300, including 90 deaths.

This translates to about 227 cases of Covid-19 per 1,000 during the pandemic – or about 20% of the total prison population, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). Statewide, among the public, that number is about 32 cases per 1,000 people.

The surge in prison numbers comes as local and state authorities also try to control a rampant spread in communities across California. The state broke its previous case on Friday, reporting more than 22,000 new cases. Hospitalizations are also at record levels, with more than 9,900 Covid-19 patients across the state, including around 2,200 in intensive care units.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, saying the state was at “a tipping point in our fight against the virus,” this week announced a strict regional stay-at-home order, which will come into effect 48 hours after the capacity to ICU drops below 15% in any of the five regions, Northern California, Bay Area, Greater Sacramento, San Joaquin Valley, or Southern California.

A grim warning came weeks ago

At the end of October, the Office of the Inspector General released a report warning the state’s corrections department of an upcoming epidemic.

DOJ surveillance report reveals understaffing contributed to California prison Covid outbreak

“Our staff observed that staff and inmates often did not follow these basic safety protocols,” such as physical distancing and the use of face masks, the report said. In addition, the Inspector General found examples of broken thermometers and inadequate screening procedures.

About 70% of the current Covid-19 outbreak is concentrated in about five of the state’s institutions – which also have some of the highest rates of prison overcrowding. Meanwhile, the nine prisons that have been hit hardest by the pandemic have declared capacities of at least 120%.

Pleasant Valley State Prison in Fresno County, with a capacity of 122%, currently has the highest number of Covid-19 cases, with 992 out of 2,833 inmates infected with the virus.

As of November 15, Pleasant Valley had about 27 cases. Two weeks later, he recorded 457 active infections. And that number has since doubled in a week.

California prisons replace primary doctor amid coronavirus outbreak

This lightning-fast transmission rate has become almost typical in most California prisons, which have little access to physical distance and poor ventilation.

“It’s built into the system that there will be potential for spread,” says Sharon Dolovich, professor of law at the University of California, Los Angeles and director of the Covid-19 Behind Bars Data Project. Dolovich estimated that to properly manage Covid-19 outbreaks, reducing capacity to 100% will not be enough and that officials should instead aim for a 60% occupancy rate.

“We have known since the start of the pandemic what to do, and it has not been done,” she said.

Efforts to reduce the population

The state’s prison system has struggled to tackle potential epidemics by reducing the total number of inmates, which currently stands at a low of 97,889 in three decades – down from around 121,034 in March, according to the prison department. .

Coronavirus cases in California prisons have multiplied by days and inmates fear it will spread further

But a wave of early releases has slowed in recent months, including for high-risk people and the elderly.

Court documents show that 450 people were released prematurely between October 5 and November 4, compared to 4,421 between July 10 and August 9. The state also stopped giving credits, which led to some 2,100 early releases over the summer, according to the corrections service.

“We have implemented robust response and mitigation efforts throughout the system, including mandating the use of procedural (surgical) masks by all staff in our facilities, anyone entering the premises. establishments is examined both verbally and by temperature monitoring, and by regularly testing staff and inmates, ”said Vicky Waters, Special Advisor at CDCR.

In addition, prison admissions were suspended as of November 26, she said.

[ad_2]

Source link