Report: Prison didn't isolate inmates who tested positive for COVID-19
A federal prison in Louisiana that became an early hotspot for coronavirus failed to isolate inmates who tested positive for coronavirus and did not inform staff who were interacting with sick inmates, according to a new report from the Justice Department's inspector general. The report said FCI Oakdale did not comply with federal health guidance from the Bureau of Prisons and CDC.
The watchdog said Oakdale officials did not isolate nearly 100 asymptomatic inmates who tested positive for the virus, permitting them to continue using showers, telephones and other common areas on a staggered schedule. Some inmates who tested positive were left in their housing units for up to six days without being isolated, the report said, and staff who supervised these inmates were not given proper personal protective equipment.
Investigators also refuted claims by the prison's executive staff, who said employees were always sufficiently equipped with proper PPE. In mid to late March, staff either did not have access or "understand the necessity" of using proper PPE while interacting with positive inmates.
The report said concerns about access to PPE was "so dire" after the first inmate tested positive on March 21 that PPE supplies "were being taken from the complex medical unit after hours and without permission." While surgical masks were distributed to staff and inmates in late March, the virus had already begun "spreading rapidly" throughout the prison. The outbreaks also caused staffing shortages at Oakdale, forcing some staffers to work up to 40 hours straight.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/report-prison-didnt-isolate-inmates-who-tested-positive-for-covid-19/ar-BB1b6ZUJ?li=BBnb7Kz