A small protest was held outside the Maui Community Correctional Center in Wailuku on Friday, seeking protection for COVID-19 inmates, where an outbreak of the virus was first reported four weeks ago.
The pool at the Maui Community Correctional Center was updated on Friday to include 75 inmates with a positive test (43 are active and 32 have recovered). The Department of Public Security reports that there are 44 people in medical isolation and 211 individuals quarantined in the latest report.
To date, 722 tests have been conducted at the MCCC, with 643 returned as negative and four inconclusive.
State officials say an MTC official also reported a positive result in independent tests.
The department reports that the COVID-19 test is continually being conducted across the state at all facilities and all other populations of inmates in Hawaii are free of the virus.
Organizers say the protest included the participation of concerned community members and loved ones of inmates who are demanding “immediate improved protections to prevent the spread of COVID19”
Among the demands made, the following stand out: “adequate” medical care; ensuring that there is no mixing of positive COVID-19 inmates with suspicious cases; forcing the use of a mask for prisoners; provide new masks every day for inmates or two cloth masks per inmate so they can wash and reuse them; and keep those exposed to COVID-19 in quarantine in a separate place from confirmed cases. The group is also looking for guarantees of adequate spacing in the facilities inside the dormitories.
- (A complete list of demands is available by scrolling to the end of this article).
County officials said the state Department of Health is following the standard protocol with contact tracking and quarantine isolation.
Toni Schwartz, a spokesman for the state Department of Public Security responded to Maui Now’s request for comment, saying:
“The Department of Public Security is aware of the concerns expressed by families and that is why the security of the Maui Community Correctional Center and medical staff are working long hours to protect employees and inmates and to mitigate the spread of the virus.”
She went on to say: “The facility’s health team is monitoring inmates for symptoms, taking temperature and doing health checks at least twice a day. All offenders were also informed if they had any pain or symptoms of an upper respiratory illness to report it immediately to the medical staff. If it is after hours, the establishment will call a doctor on call for an appointment. No inmate required hospitalization due to COVID-19. “
Last week, Mayor Michael Victorino received confirmation from the Hawaii Director of Health that the Department of Health would implant a second round of vaccines at the correctional facility.
State officials say prisoners with a positive or negative test are placed in designated housing units within the facility and separated as determined by medical staff, as recommended by the DOH, and in accordance with the PSD’s Pandemic Response Plan.
“The facility is following the PSD’s Pandemic Plan to clinically isolate, quarantine and cohort inmates based on guidelines recommended by the CDC and DOH,” said Schwartz, who described the following precautions:
- All offenders received at least two cloth masks at the entrance and are required to wear them.
- Offenders also have the option to buy masks at the store if they prefer different brands or styles.
- All prisoners and employees are required to follow all safety and sanitation protocols, including wearing a barrier mask over their nose and mouth in prisoners’ homes and common areas, washing their hands frequently and maintaining adequate social distance as far as possible.
- All offenders have unrestricted access to hot water, soap and sanitation supplies.
“The PSD Health Division did everything possible to ensure that a comprehensive plan was implemented to protect the health of all prisoners and employees in our facilities. They developed a comprehensive pandemic response plan for all facilities, based on the current CDC guidance and approved by the American Correctional Association’s Office of Correctional Health, ”said Schwartz in a statement.
According to Schwartz, “Each facility has adapted the plan to meet the individual needs of the facility. Each facility faces situations that are unique to its facility, and the management of those facilities takes this into account while executing its plans in the best possible way. “
The complete list of demands, as described by the demonstration organizers, is included below:
- Immediate medical isolation of confirmed or suspected cases of COVID19 with adequate medical attention; Sick COVID + inmates are not receiving adequate medical care.
- Quarantine all new hires and those who have had close contacts with COVID19. Cease mixing COVID + inmates with suspicious cases and the general population NOW immediately.
- Employees must wear masks at all times and compel prisoners to wear masks.
- The team must be tested regularly and examined clinically before entering the shift.
- New masks every day for inmates or two cloth / inmate masks so they can wash / reuse. Suitable PPE (gloves and n95 masks) for laundry workers, following the appropriate mask cleaning protocol.
- The TCM must comply with the CDC guidelines which include: “Confirmed cases must be housed in a well-ventilated room with solid walls and a solid door that closes completely and separately from suspected cases”; and those exposed to COVID-19 should be quarantined separately from confirmed cases
- The MCC must follow the cohort requirements of the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Committee, including: Bunk beds must be at least 6 feet apart, double bunks have only one occupant; and consideration of medical isolation and quarantine of cases that have a higher risk of serious COVID-19 disease (ie, elderly, schizophrenics, etc.)
- Responsibility – Victorio must allocate funds to bring the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Committee to MTC to ensure that they begin to follow the state and CDC protocol.
- Transparency – immediate sharing of accurate data on MTC covirus infections.