We’re learning more details about the botched transfer of prisoners that led to a massive COVID-19 outbreak at San Quentin last year.
The California Office of the Inspector General, investigating the deadly outbreak that began with a transfer of people from a prison in Chino to San Quentin, found the process was "deeply flawed" and "risked the health and lives of thousands."
The watchdog found concerns from health care staff were ignored.
In one example, investigators discovered a nurse’s email to a prison medical executive about people who were to be transferred. The nurse said they hadn’t been tested for at least three weeks, asking to have them re-swabbed.
"That’s in the email," said Adnan Khan, Executive Director of Re:store Justice. "This is to the executive of the Health Care Executive in California and the only response was - no re-swabbing. Period."
Khan was formerly incarcerated at San Quentin himself.
The report also said a nurse noted that two of people who had arrived from Chino had symptoms associated with COVID-19. Still, almost all the new arrivals were housed in a unit with no solid doors for at least six days.
"The number one solution if you want to follow science data is reduce the prison population significantly," Khan added. "Not add extra tents on a yard with 2,000-plus people sick with COVID."
The state's tracking shows 28 deaths at San Quentin related to the virus.
The state’s Inspector General acknowledged multiple actions have been taken, but said the task of containing the virus within state prisons remains unfinished.
In response to this story, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation released the following statement to KCBS Radio:
We appreciate this report from the OIG, and note that there were many factors that contributed to the need to move medically high-risk individuals from CIM last May that are not reflected in the report. The transfers were done with the intent to mitigate potential harm to CIM patients from COVID-19, and were based on a thoughtful risk analysis using scientific information available in May 2020 concerning transmission of this novel disease. We have acknowledged some mistakes were made in the process of the these transfers, and both CCHCS and CDCR have made appropriate changes to patient movement since that time. These changes include increased testing, the use of designated isolation and quarantine spaces, and the enhanced use of personal protective equipment when indicated. It is important to note that since the changes were implemented, there have been no outbreaks attributed to institution transfers.
Additionally, we were very transparent in the actions taken to respond to the San Quentin outbreak, and implemented many strategies that have been replicated successfully in other institutions. Currently, San Quentin has only four patient cases, and has remained in single digits in terms of COVID-19 positive patient cases since August.
Our first and foremost priority is to ensure the health and safety of all who live and work in the state’s prisons and surrounding communities. We will continue to work collaboratively with all stakeholders to ensure we are doing everything we can for the people in our care throughout and beyond the pandemic.
Read the full report here.
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