Prisoners in Michigan are producing face masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect other inmates and prison staff as COVID-19 infections spread throughout correctional facilities.
According to Michigan Public Radio, almost 2,000 prisoners in the state of Michigan have tested positive for the coronavirus, as of May 3.
At least 41 prisoners have died due to the virus, reports Michigan Public Radio.
Prisoners in the Chippewa Correctional Facility in Kincheloe, Carson City Correctional and Ionia Correctional Facility are prescreened for COVID-19 before they are allowed join the production team, according to the Ionia Sentinel-Standard.
So far, they have produced thousands of reusable cloth masks, gowns, protective eyewear and personal protective suits.
Chris Gautz, a public information officer for the Department of Corrections, told the Ionia Sentinel-Standard, "For every facility that has received their full complement of masks, we require that people wear them throughout the day."
“Prisoners are required to wear them all the time, except when they shower and sleep, and staff are required to wear them throughout the duration of their shift.”
About 13,000 prison staff work in correctional facilities and are not able to fulfill their duties while working from home. They have to show up to work to ensure the prisons are safe and secure.
All prison employees have their temperatures taken before every shift as a precautionary measure to protect everyone in the corrections facility.
Additional precautions have been put in place including: in-person visits have been suspended, extra cleaning supplies have been issued and prison transfers have been limited, according to the Ionia Sentinel-Standard.
Michigan Corrections Organization, a Lansing-based labor union for corrections officers, said an agreement with the state allows corrections officers to receive hazard pay while working their shifts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Phil Mayor, a senior staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, said his organization has asked Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to help protect specific prisoners by offering a path to early releases via executive order.
“I don’t believe that the prison environment can be made safe at the current population levels, Mayor told the Ionia Sentinel-Standard. “We need to be getting people out, especially the many people who are old and medically vulnerable.”
The Department of Corrections said the parole board is still functioning, and they still have authority over early releases.
“A very small number of individuals are still working at the central office on the parole board staff so we can continue to parole prisoners,” Gautz told the Ionia Sentinel-Standard.
“There are hundreds of thousands of files that we can’t risk moving or losing, so those employees are still working as normal.”
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