COVID-19 IN PRISON

The 2,300,000 people who are incarcerated in the United States are extraordinarily vulnerable to Covid-19. Prison is a perfect breeding ground for the virus. There is no practical way to separate inmates. China has admitted to over 500 deaths in their prisons from Covid-19, primarily involving prisons in Shandong, and Zhejiang. Because of the combination of virulence and close living quarters that inmates experience, some countries have moved to release prisoners, as much as practical.
While fortunately, 80% of cases of Covid-19 appear to be mild, 15% are severe, requiring hospitalization, and another 5% are deemed critical.

Those at greatest risk are the elderly, and inmates with hypertension, diabetes, and lung disease. Sadly, there are a great number of inmates who fall into these vulnerable categories.

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OVER 70% OF INMATES AT LOMPOC FEDERAL PRISON TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19

NEW CASES OF COVID-19 LOMPOC FEDERAL PRISON: 310 REST OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTRY:1 An incarcerated physician describes his chilling experiences with healthcare at Lompoc Prison. The medical staff was rumored to be staffed by Doctors Mengele and Kevorkian, recruited from Africa after their clitorectomy practice dried up. They supposedly emerged at Lompoc where they learned they would be inoculated against civil litigation. When you enter prison, the world leaves you behind. You quickly realize that your life is inconsequential, and your medical problems are of little import. In my case, I needed a prostate pill that I had taken for years which was not on the formulary of drugs provided by the clinic. The formulary held a grand total of about one hundred types of pills to cover a gamut of medical illnesses. As long as your condition could be treated by one of those few pills, you were in good shape. If not, you had to request an appointment to see Dr. K...

PRISON SOAP....WHERE IS IT?

When inmates take a dump in prison, they have to bring their own toilet paper with them. There is no toilet paper in the restroom. None. Then, they go to wash their hands...maybe. But guess what? There is no soap. There may be a soap dispenser, but unless there's an inspection by some regulatory agency, there is no soap. Inmates can buy soap in the commissary for $2, which many don't have. That's not the only problem with preventing the spread of diseases, such as Covid-19. Don't even think about disinfecting surfaces or the use of hand sanitizers. Most of these products contain alcohol, verboten in prison. The other key component to preventing the spread of Covid-19 is social distancing. That obviously is in short supply. All of the components are there for massive headaches for the BOP, which will affect inmates, as well as the prison staff, and their families. Read more here

BOP to Tekashi 69: Asthma Shmasma

Inmate Daniel Hernandez, also known as Tekashi 69 , has asthma, making him particularly vulnerable to Covid-19. When the medical director of his facility recommended that he be transferred to a hospital prison authorities reacted dogmatically, as they often do. They overruled the doctor. Sentencing Judge Paul Egelmayer stated that he would have ordered home confinement if he had known about Covid-19, but he knew that ultimately, the BOP does as it pleases. So, Tekashi 69 remains incarcerated, with asthma, in an environment that is a breeding ground for infectious disease.

Michael Kaplan

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