COVID Has Infected 1 In 5 US Inmates, And That May Be An Undercount
That's compared to 1 in 20 Americans who have had COVID in the general American population. The Marshall Project and The Associated Press also report in their series on the role prisoner transfers have played on the crisis.
The Marshall Project and The AP:
1 In 5 Prisoners In The U.S. Has Had COVID-19
One in every five state and federal prisoners in the United States has tested positive for the coronavirus, a rate more than four times as high as the general population. In some states, more than half of prisoners have been infected, according to data collected by The Marshall Project and The Associated Press. As the pandemic enters its tenth month—and as the first Americans begin to receive a long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine—at least 275,000 prisoners have been infected, more than 1,700 have died and the spread of the virus behind bars shows no sign of slowing. New cases in prisons this week reached their highest level since testing began in the spring, far outstripping previous peaks in April and August. (Schwartzapfel, Park and DeMillo, 12/18)
The Marshall Project and The AP:
Moving People—And Coronavirus—From Prison To Prison
In prisons around the country, COVID-19 outbreaks have followed transfers of prisoners or prison workers. Nearly all of the 25 state prison systems and the federal Bureau of Prisons that responded to a survey conducted by The Marshall Project and The Associated Press said they had reduced or limited the number of prisoners they moved due to the pandemic. Eight states halted the practice except in special circumstances. The reductions were keeping in line with medical guidelines. But most of those states lifted their restrictions by September and few prison systems heeded the earlier lessons as the pandemic worsened this winter, worrying families of prisoners and correctional officers who work in the prisons. (Aspinwall and White, 12/21)
In related news about the surge of COVID cases —
The Hill:
Fauci Urges People To Wear Masks Even If Family Members Get Vaccinated
The nation's leading infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci on Saturday continued to urge people to wear masks during the holiday season even if family members have already received COVID-19 vaccinations. "You can enjoy the family and the warmth of the holiday season and still stay safe and prevent yourself from getting infected by just doing some of the common things that we talk about; appropriate wearing of masks, trying to keep some physical distance," Fauci said on CNN's Sesame Street town hall Saturday morning. (Deese, 12/19)
The Hill:
California Battles Skyrocketing Coronavirus Cases
California is grappling with a record number of coronavirus cases, putting a strain on hospital resources even as the distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine provides hope for a breakthrough in the fight against the disease. The nation’s most populous state is pulling out all the stops to try to get its outbreak under control amid a surge heading into the colder months, which experts warn will be one of the worst phases of the pandemic as more people gather indoors. (Axelrod, 12/19)
Boston Globe:
Mass. COVID-19 Numbers Continue To Climb As Moderna Vaccine Added To State Pandemic Arsenal
Massachusetts expects to add a second vaccine to its pandemic arsenal this week, as state public health officials reported more than 4,100 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and 60 deaths Sunday. Due to arrive just days before Christmas, the Moderna vaccine comes as Governor Charlie Baker and Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh renew calls for residents to avoid large, holiday gatherings to avoid opportunities for the often-deadly virus to spread. “Let’s all do our part to protect our communities and slow the spread of #COVID19,” Walsh said in a statement posted Sunday to Twitter. (Hilliard, 12/20)
KHN:
Many US Health Experts Underestimated The Coronavirus … Until It Was Too Late
A year ago, while many Americans were finishing their holiday shopping and finalizing travel plans, doctors in Wuhan, China, were battling a mysterious outbreak of pneumonia with no known cause. Chinese doctors began to fear they were witnessing the return of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, a coronavirus that emerged in China in late 2002 and spread to 8,000 people worldwide, killing almost 800. The disease never gained a foothold in the U.S. and disappeared by 2004. (Szabo, 12/21)
