학술논문

Respiratory pandemic preparedness learnings from the June 2020 COVID-19 outbreak at San Quentin California State Prison
Document Type
article
Source
International Journal of Prisoner Health. 19(3)
Subject
Criminology
Human Society
Clinical Research
Prevention
Infectious Diseases
Infection
Good Health and Well Being
COVID-19
California
Disease Outbreaks
Humans
Pandemics
Prisons
Prison health
Decarceration
Outbreak investigation
Pandemic preparedness
Prison environment
SARS-CoV-2
Ventilation
Public Health and Health Services
Policy and Administration
Substance Abuse
Public health
Language
Abstract
PurposeThis study aims to characterize the June 2020 COVID-19 outbreak at San Quentin California State Prison and to describe what made San Quentin so vulnerable to uncontrolled transmission.Design/methodology/approachSince its onset, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and exacerbated the profound health harms of carceral settings, such that nearly half of state prisons reported COVID-19 infection rates that were four or more times (and up to 15 times) the rate found in the state's general population. Thus, addressing the public health crises and inequities of carceral settings during a respiratory pandemic requires analyzing the myriad factors shaping them. In this study, we reported observations and findings from environmental risk assessments during visits to San Quentin California State Prison. We complemented our assessments with analyses of administrative data.FindingsFor future respiratory pathogens that cannot be prevented with effective vaccines, this study argues that outbreaks will no doubt occur again without robust implementation of additional levels of preparedness - improved ventilation, air filtration, decarceration with emergency evacuation planning - alongside addressing the vulnerabilities of carceral settings themselves.Originality/valueThis study addresses two critical aspects that are insufficiently covered in the literature: how to prepare processes to safely implement emergency epidemic measures when needed, such as potential evacuation, and how to address unique challenges throughout an evolving pandemic for each carceral setting.