US prisons suffer during coronavirus outbreak

Inmates and employees are especially susceptible to COVID-19 due to overcrowding and lack of supplies, but what is being done about it?

By Megan Peta

The coronavirus pandemic has forced U.S. prisons to rethink how they are keeping inmates and employees healthy. Crowded quarters and less than adequate health supplies have increased chances of prisoners contracting the virus.

Cook County Jail in Chicago, one of the largest single cell jails in the U.S., is dealing with 141 coronavirus cases within their facility, according to ABC News. The number includes both prisoners and employees within the jail.

Cook County is not the only jail facing these kinds of numbers. Nearly 2,000 inmates were placed in quarantine at San Quentin State Prison in California after reporting flu-like symptoms, according to the Los Angeles Times.

California has been releasing prisoners to free up jail space for social distancing, according to the Los Angeles Times. Social distancing, reducing social contact with other people to reduce physical contact, is meant to help not only inmates but also employees of the jails to maintain some sense of distance.

Prisons require more than just social distancing to keep their community safe. In prison, there are shared ventilation systems, constant security checks, and overcrowding. Prisons could become incubators for the coronavirus, a source told NPR.

Prisons also lack the supplies necessary to treat and prevent the virus. There are not enough masks, hand sanitizers, or soap to keep these prisoners safe. Not to mention, prison doctors do not have ventilators and other medical tools required to properly treat those who contract coronavirus.

The U.S. has the highest incarceration rates in the world. About 2.3 million people are locked up daily, according to Vox. High numbers of incarcerated people make the U.S. unique compared to other nations fighting the pandemic and could contribute to a higher contraction rate.

Solutions are still being debated as the number of infected inmates and employees begins to rise. Many, like those in California, say that releasing prisoners is the best option while others disagree, saying the issue is the lack of medical supplies in the jails.

While solutions are on the horizon, inmates and employees are struggling to maintain the outbreak in close quarters, and it will take more than social distancing and hand washing to protect this vulnerable population.