A small protest was held outside the Maui Community Correctional Center in Wailuku on Friday to seek protection for COVID-19 inmates, where an outbreak of the virus was first reported four weeks ago.
The group at the Maui Community Correctional Center was updated Friday to include 75 inmates who tested positive (43 are active and 32 have recovered). According to the Department of Public Safety, there are 44 people in medical isolation and 211 individuals in quarantine.
To date, 722 tests have been done at MCCC, with 643 being negative and four being unconvincing.
Government officials say one MCCC employee also reported a positive result from independent testing.
The department reports that COVID-19 testing is being conducted continuously at all facilities nationwide, and that all other populations in Hawaii are not aware of the virus.
Organizers say the protest included the participation of concerned community members and loved ones of prisoners demanding immediate improved protection to prevent further spread of COVID19.
Among the demands made are, among others: the provision of “adequate” medical care; to ensure that there is no mixing of COVID-19 positive prisoners with suspected cases; enforcement of mask worn by prisoners; provide daily new masks for prisoners or two cloth masks per prisoner so that they can wash and reuse them; and to quarantine those exposed to COVID-19 in a separate place as confirmed cases. The group is also looking for the assurance of proper spacing at the facility within sleeping accommodations.
- (A complete list of claims is available by scrolling to the bottom of this article).
Provincial officials said the health department is following the standard protocol with contact detection and quarantine isolation.
Toni Schwartz, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Public Safety, responded to Maui Now’s request for comment, saying:
“The Department of Public Safety is aware of the concerns expressed by the families, and therefore the security and medical staff of the Maui Community Correctional Center work long hours to protect the staff and inmates and mitigate the spread of viruses.”
She further said: ‘The staff of the health care facility monitors prisoners for symptoms, takes temperature and does health examinations at least twice a day. All offenders were also told that they had pain or symptoms of an upper respiratory illness to report it immediately to the medical staff. If it is after hours, the initiative will call a doctor for a consultation. No prisoners required hospitalization due to COVID-19. ”
Last week, Mayor Michael Victorino received confirmation from the Hawaii health director that the Department of Health would institute a second round of vaccinations at the correctional facility.
State officials say prisoners who test positive or negative are placed in designated housing units in the facility and separated as determined by medical personnel, as recommended by the DOH, and in accordance with the PSD response plan.
“The facilities follow the PSD pandemic plan to medically isolate inmates, in quarantine and cohorts based on CDC and DOH recommended guidelines,” said Schwartz, who outlined the following precautions:
- At least two cloth masks were issued to all offenders with the entry and must wear them.
- Offenders also have the option to buy masks through the commissioner if they prefer different brands or styles.
- All inmates and staff are expected to follow all safety and sanitation protocols, including wearing a barrier mask over their noses and mouths in inmates’ housing and common areas, washing hands regularly and keeping adequate social distance as far as possible.
- All offenders have unlimited access to hot water, soap and sanitary supplies.
‘The PSD Health Care Division has gone to great lengths to ensure that a comprehensive plan exists to protect the health of all inmates and staff in our facilities. “They have developed a comprehensive pandemic response plan for all facilities, based on the current guidance of the CDC and approved by the Office of Correctional Health of the American Correctional Association,” Schwartz said in a statement.
According to Schwartz, “Each facility has adapted the plan to meet their individual facility needs. Each facility has situations they handle that are unique to their facility, and the administration at those facilities takes this into account when they execute their plans to the best of their ability. “
The complete list of demands as set out by the organizers of the demonstration is below:
- Immediate medical isolation of confirmed or suspected COVID19 cases with proper medical attention; sick COVID + prisoners do not receive adequate medical care.
- Quarantine, all newly admitted and those in close contact with COVID19. Stop mixing COVID + prisoners with suspicious cases and the general population NOW immediately.
- Staff must wear masks and masks of prisoners at all times.
- Staff must be regularly tested and medically screened before arriving on shift.
- New masks every day for prisoners or two cloth masks / prisoners so they can wash / reuse. Proper PBT (gloves and n95 masks) for laundry workers according to the proper mask cleaning protocol.
- MCCC must adhere to 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 suspicious cases; and those exposed to COVID-19 should be quarantined separately from confirmed cases
- MCC must meet the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission’s co-ordination requirements, including: Stacks must be at least 6 feet apart, double stacks have only one resident; and consideration of medical isolation and quarantine of cases at higher risk for serious diseases due to COVID-19 (ie elders, schizophrenics, etc.)
- Accountability – Victorio must allocate money to bring the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission into MCCC to ensure they begin to follow the protocol of the state and CDC.
- Transparency – fast sharing of accurate data on MCCC covid infections.