Quick Facts:
Currently positive-testing inmates: 294 (up from 261)
Currently positive-testing staff: 157 (up from 154)
Recovered inmates: 43,054 (down from 43,095)
Recovered staff: 7,023 (up from 7,017)
Institutions with the largest number of currently positive-testing inmates:
Texarcana FCI: 69 (up from 66)
Aliceville FCI: 29 (unchanged
McCreary USP: 28 (unchanged)
Institutions with the largest number of currently positive-testing staff:
Pollock: 14 (unchanged)
Coleman Low FCI: 19 (up from 9)
Coleman Medium FCI: 6
System-wide testing results: Presently, BOP has 130,487 federal inmates in BOP-managed institutions and 14,291 in community-based facilities. Today's stats: Completed tests: 118,632 (up from 118,307) Positive tests: 42,791 (down from 42,806)
Total Vaccine doses distributed: 205,728
News Note: We've been reporting on the uptick of COVID infections in the BOP in the wake of the Delta variant, particularly at Texarcana FCI. An on-line post in lisa-legalinfo.com picks up on this news:
COVID’S BACK, AND THE BOP’S GOT IT
It wasn’t even three weeks ago that the BOP was doing a happy dance about having delivered the 200,000th shot of COVID vaccine. Only 29 inmates and 130 staff had the coronavirus, and only half of the institutions had a case.
Then came the COVID-19 Delta variant. As of last night, 236 inmates and 145 staff at 79 facilities were sick. One out of four of those cases is at FCI Texarkana, where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reportedly looking at why Delta has gained a foothold.
The Delta breakout comes amid increased concerns over slowed vaccination rates among prisons corrections staff.
The Crime Report last week said, “prison staff have refused the vaccine in vast numbers, leaving entire prison populations — and surrounding communities — at risk.” According to the report, only 48% of prison staff members nationwide had received at least one dose. As of last Friday, the BOP staff vax rate was 52.4%, slightly lower than the 54.8% inmate acceptance of the vaccine.
Unvaccinated officers travel between, bringing the virus with them, according to Anne Spaulding, an associate professor in epidemiology at Emory University. Sick officers can also cause staff shortages (already a serious BOP problem), which reduces programming, recreation, and visitation. “It’s going to affect the mental health of those incarcerated, who already have restricted lives,” Spaulding said.
Death Watch: The BOP has reported no additional inmate fatalities, leaving the number of inmate fatalities at 240. Five of these inmates died while on home confinement. Staff fatalities remain at 4.
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