The COVID-19 virus has spread massively throughout the globe, influencing mass hysteria and causing fear to rise in society. The COVID-19 viral disease that has swept into at least 114 countries (or more) and killed more than 4,000 people and is now officially a pandemic as the World Health Organization announced. Pandemics are known to be large-scale outbreaks of an infectious disease that can greatly increase how many people will be affected and the mortality rates. A virus such as the COVID-19 has impacted a wide geographic area and caused significant social, political, and economic disruption.

I would say this seems to increase disorder within society. Different groups of individuals have become infected more than others. Elderly, people who are suffering from other illnesses, men, etc., are at high risk of contracting this virus. Public places around the world carry lots of germs and bacteria, and it’s usually crowded – people are trying to open doors with their elbows, avoid grabbing handles, rubbing down desks. This virus seems to spread fast in large populated areas – how will COVID-19 impact the large populated prisons within America?

The coronavirus has the potential to cause an outbreak in jails and prisons, and yes- this could turn into a nightmare. The evidence I have thoroughly gathered indicates that prisons are not ready to handle a pandemic.

Prisons are the perfect setting for a virus to spread because prisons are roughly overpopulated within the United States, the coronavirus will spread like wildfire. In a prison, multiple people can be packed into a single cell. There is no space for social distancing or other recommendations that experts have made to combat this virus. 

This massive outbreak can potentially infect or kill hundreds or thousands of people in prison. The virus can also spread to communities nearby prisons. The spread of this virus can pose major threats to prisoners. If a large majority of the prison population needed medical care, it will be difficult to provide this care because jails and prisons can’t provide it. Facilities can either deny or delay basic care to individuals who seriously need it. The delays and the denied help can spark a further spread of this virus. In the beginning of my blogs, I mentioned the lack of access prisoners have to basic needs that they deserve, and this proves my point. 

The interesting part of this is, policies have been put in place to handle the spread of influenza. However, there are NO policies around what to do if prisons spread the virus or ways to slow down this spread. These are the issues that need to be discussed. This is a real-life issue that is currently happening as we speak. The biggest issue is policymakers and society are not talking about this specific issue. Time and time again prisoners are treated as if they are not humans too. The individuals who go in and out of visitations, correctional officers who work in crowded prisons are subject to being affected by this virus, and then it’s spread to the outside world. Let’s talk about it… instead of brushing the topic off, this is what society has been doing to other issues regarding prisoners. Now is not the time. All communities of people matter, even the ones that are overlooked.