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For weeks, public health experts & medical workers have made clear to Governor Lamont that that there is a heightened risk of COVID-19 infection for people in prisons and jails, and that decarceration measures should be part of CT's COVID-19 response.
Let's review.
Let's review.
On April 21, a group of 50+ faculty from Yale's medical, public health, and nursing schools sent a letter to Gov. Lamont asking him to act immediately to protect people in prisons & jails from COVID-19, including by safely releasing people. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1frm8ULLwt1Bwv-0LnEasM8UyQNqmxP6qX7Vu1XYoMAE/edit
"The steps taken and decisions made by your office and the CT Department of Corrections (CDOC) over the past month do not sufficiently mitigate the dangers of SARS-CoV-2 in carceral settings."
- 50+ public health and medical experts, in a letter to Governor Lamont sent 4/21/2020
- 50+ public health and medical experts, in a letter to Governor Lamont sent 4/21/2020
"We wish to express clearly & unequivocally that the most effective measure to ensure the safety & wellbeing of incarcerated individuals is to thoughtfully release a substantial portion of the State’s prison population." - Public health & medical experts https://docs.google.com/document/d/1frm8ULLwt1Bwv-0LnEasM8UyQNqmxP6qX7Vu1XYoMAE/edit
The April 21 letter to Lamont from public health & medical experts echoes what public health and medical experts have been trying to tell him for weeks. On March 27, a group of doctors sent him this letter:
https://law.yale.edu/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/Solomon/transitions_clinic_covid-19_letter_mar_27.pdf
https://law.yale.edu/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/Solomon/transitions_clinic_covid-19_letter_mar_27.pdf
On April 14, frontline healthcare workers who work in Connecticut prisons and jails raised the alarm about Lamont & the DOC's inaction. http://civilinquiry.jud.ct.gov/DocumentInquiry/DocumentInquiry.aspx?DocumentNo=18991959
"Reducing the population of persons who are incarcerated will decrease the rate of COVID-19 spread w/in DOC facilities, ease the burden on and protect frontline staff, & therefore safeguard public health & safety during a time of unprecedented public health risk.” - @SEIU1199_NE
On April 20, included in our federal lawsuit were affidavits from medical and public health experts like Dr. Gotlob. https://www.acluct.org/sites/default/files/01-1_exhibit_a_acluct_complaint.pdf
Public health experts have also pointed out to Governor Lamont that protecting the health of people in prisons and jails is also vital for protecting the health of people outside of prisons and jails. https://www.acluct.org/sites/default/files/01-2_exhibit_b_acluct_complaint.pdf
"Jails and prisons are fundamentally ill-equipped to handle a pandemic." - Dr. Brie Williams, in an affidavit filed with our federal lawsuit seeking emergency action to protect incarcerated people from COVID-19. https://www.acluct.org/sites/default/files/01-4_exhibit_d_acluct_complaint.pdf
Public health experts have been warning Gov. Lamont for weeks about the danger of COVID-19 in prisons & jails.
They've told him CT's COVID-19 response should include decarceration measures.
Lamont must act now to issue a thoughtful, compassionate plan to safely release people.
They've told him CT's COVID-19 response should include decarceration measures.
Lamont must act now to issue a thoughtful, compassionate plan to safely release people.
