Search results for covid

BOP Prisons and Jails 2020 | Unprepared | COVID-19

By inDr. M Blatstein's Blog Tag

BOP Prisons and Jails 2020 | Unprepared | COVID-19

COVID- 19 in Prisons and Jails are unprepared and may now be forced to recommend, in some cases alternative diversion sentences and/or home confinement.
I can only believe that the PSR could play a significant role in this process.

Six feet apart, unlikely

6' apart, unlikely

 Prisons and Jails (, like Cruise Ships, act as perfect breeding grounds

John Hopkins has a Live Interactive Dashboard

Provides Current Reported Cases of COVID-19. Use our interactive web-based map to track cases of the virus around the world

UpToDate/Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

_____________________________

Recent Press Releases:

September 2020

Visitation beginning to restart.

June 3, 2020 (Marshall Project)

How Prisons in Each State Are Restricting Visits Due to Coronavirus

 

June 3, 2020 (Marshall Project)

Jails Are Coronavirus Hotbeds. How Many People Should Be Released To Slow The Spread?

May 15, 2020 (Marshall Project)

For Mentally Ill Defendants, Coronavirus Means Few Safe Options

While their mental health deteriorates, some are stuck in jail as hospitals are decreasing admissions to prevent the spread of infections

April 17, 2020                                                                                           

Inadequate access to medical care poses a severe threat to a population that is already more vulnerable to coronavirus: there are about 10,000 people over 60 in federal custody, and about a third have pre-existing conditions. Photograph: Jonny Weeks/The Guardian

In prisons and jails across the deep south, coronavirus threatens to overwhelm

chronically underfunded, understaffed and overpopulated facilities

Mar 21, 2020;

Forbes; Can US Prisons React Fast Enough To COVID-19? By Walter Pavlo

 

March 22, 2020; 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Hajjar –  – wrote that no inmates at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, NY or any other federal facility had tested positive for the coronavirus. What she failed to mention is that the BOP was not doing any testing of prisoners. ByJ.J. O’Hara

 

3-23-2020;

At least 38 people in New York City jails have contracted the virus. Associated Press

First federal prisoner, in Brooklyn, tests positive for COVID-19. Associated Press

At least 22 prisoners in two Denver jails are under observation after showing symptoms. Denver Post

3-20-2020

Florida beaches covered with 1000’s on spring break, 2020.
All of this while COVID-19 is spreading across our country and the world. As a growing number of state governors urged all of us to Shelter in Place, in Florida, their beaches were covered with 1000’s on spring break.
You ask why and I have no idea. But these revelers are now on their way home to spread the virus throughout their families, friends and fellow workers’ personal space. Yet another vector.
The spread of COVID-19 from these beaches will ultimately whether direct or indirectly impact our society and prison system.

The Marshall Project, 3-19-2020

‘Those 55 and older are a growing share of the people in prisons. They’re also the most at risk as coronavirus spreads.’ By WEIHUA LI and NICOLE LEWIS

Couple this with the unprecedented delay of the federal government to act in any manner to assist state governors since January 2020, COVID-19 has exploded across the country exponentially! These same prisons and jails are already overcrowded, resulting in a healthcare disaster ready to get out of control.

Marshall Project: “Jails are perfect incubators for COVID-19.” By Cary Aspinwall, Keri Blakinger, Abbie VanSickle and Christie Thompson

3-19-2020

ICE Now could be another vector waiting to explode, impacting immigrants and ICE officers alike. While ICE claims to “have a plan”, the horse has already left the barn.
Pandemic Division of the NSC Disbanded; 2018

03/18/2020

Katrina, Commander Russel Honoré  Rips Trump’s ‘Slow And Not Decisive’ Coronavirus Response,

Associated Press, March 14, 2020

By DEB RIECHMANN. The NSC during the Obama administration’s (Pandemic Division) grew to about 250 professionals. According to Trump’s current national security adviser, Robert O’Brien, the staff has been cut to about 110 or 115 staffers.

Associated Press March 14, 2020,

Trump disbanded the NSC pandemic unit that experts had praised

Public health and national security experts shake their heads when President Donald Trump says the coronavirus “came out of nowhere” and “blindsided the world.”

By DEB RIECHMANN

_____________________________

#covid19 #Covid19Prison #covidBOP

The Presentence Report (PSR); Thoughts On Preparation – Narrative – COVID

By inDr. M Blatstein's Blog

The Presentence Report (PSR)

I) Preparation 

  • This includes an inclusive biographical history:
  • Past and Current Medical and Mental Healthcare needs
  • Medications
  • Substance abuse
  • Medical Devices needed
  • ADL (Activities of Daily Living), PADL (Prison Activities of Daily Living)

II) Your Narrative

  • Express remorse, while still understanding the victim’s pain, suffering, and how it has impacted them.
  • Agree with the court as to the seriousness of the crime, without minimizing it. Expand on this topic
  • What in your life brought you to this moment, what happened that caused you to do this?
  • What has this experience taught you? Did it bring up moments from your past?
  • Explain to the Judge that you have a plan (only if you do),
    • to start making this right with those you have victimized –
    • or if you have already started, what are they,
    • no matter how small those efforts have been?
  • If it’s been a year or so since your verdict, what have you been doing?
    • (1)Working, (2)volunteering, or watching: (3)TV (only options 1 and 2 are correct).
  • What is your plan to never re-offend? If there was a “trigger,” what was that trigger, and how do you remove it from your life?

III) COVID, unfortunately, will be with us for a long time, like the seasonal Flu.

  • Unfortunately, it is much more lethal.long covid
  • 2022/2023, We’ve gone from pandemic to endemic
  • Practically all that means is that as a society:
    • Some believe in prevention and others do not
    • The result is that while influenza has a ~ 52K deaths / per year
    • COVID and its variants may be 10 x as much
  • More importantly, new strains are more than likely to present themselves, and masks along with new technology in indoor air filtering are in our future.
  • Long-COVID, Long-Haulers, or Post-COVID; these symptoms may be mitigating factors to present before the presentence interview as no jail, or prison (state or federal) is equipped to provide the necessary care.
    • Beyond that, this would not be a qualifier for either 100% CARE LEVEL III or ADL as the symptoms could keep one between sleep, the bathroom, meals, and at best a short walk.

You’re a Post-COVID Long-Hauler Is A Mitigating Factor

By inDr. M Blatstein's Blog

You’re a Post-COVID Long-Hauler:

  • You are not a CARE LEVEL III candidate, and
  • You can only accomplish some of your Activities of Daily Living (ADL)
  • You’re not capable of,
    • Maintaining work and Program hours
    • Standing or hearing “Count Times”
    • Getting out of bed, sometimes
    • This is a multi-organ disease

No Prison (Federal or State) Jail or Detention Center has the resources to care for you – because there is no universal care plan available.

If You’re a Post-COVID Long-Hauler, Immunocompromised, or have had COVID, but with recurring symptoms that keep you sedentary and in pain from multiple organ systems. It is only recently that HHS has begun to collect all the research being done nationwide, cataloging and studying it in a comprehensive study.

There is No Prison (Federal or State), Jail, or Detention Center

That has the resources to care for You!

This is Because SARS CoV-2 infection (PASC),

  1. This Virus and those to follow may include ongoing health problems which may last weeks, months, or years.
  2. Is still being researched, and while we are tired of it, it is still a Virus.
  3. These facilities do not have the (1:1) staff in place, training, time, supplies, or finances to provide this quality care.

“COVID – a true roller coaster of symptoms and severities, with each new day offering many unknowns.”

While some patients recover others will suffer long-term damage.
This is an article I published on 2/1/2022, of A Physician’s Experience As A COVID Long-Hauler Patient
DrMB@PPRSUS.com

You’re The Target of The FBI – Surrendering During COVID 2022/23

By inDr. M Blatstein's Blog

THOSE OF YOU WHO WILL BE SURRENDERING DURING WINTER 2022/2023, COVID ALONG WITH THE FLU/INFLUENZA MAY BE PRESENT AT YOUR FACILITY

YOU CAN CHECK THIS OUT FIRST BY GOING TO THE BOP WEBSITE AT BOP.GOV

  • WHEN YOU GET THERE, YOU WILL LOOK FOR THE BOP COVID CURRENT MODIFIED OPERATION LEVELS,
  • THEN LOOK FOR YOUR PRISON

IN 2020 THE WORLD WAS CAUGHT BY SURPRISE, BUT BETWEEN ISOLATION, MASKS, AND VACCINES, WE’VE MANAGED TO COME THROUGH IT.

All prisons and jails, being closed-in environments, were perfect breeding grounds, although in the federal system, a few wardens did a great job protecting inmates and staff alike.

ALONG WITH THE OTHER ITEMS I’VE COVERED THAT YOU VAN BRING WITH YOU [SEE MY WEBSITE]

  • If you have had all your COVID vaccines and boosters, bring verification
  • If you haven’t, that’s ok too.
  • If you had your Flu Shot, bring verification.
  • Should your warden be overly cautious in instituting precautions, be grateful. It is better to error on the side of caution.
  • Through your preparation and PSR, the Judge has already seen YOUR COMPLETE MEDICAL Record, which is already at the Prison.

At this point, I cannot tell you if you will be put into an isolation cell, but as of this recording 12/10/2022, that may not be necessary.

Hello and welcome My name is Marc Blatstein – and I’m the Physician who found Physician Presentence Report Service (PPRS)

Learn From My Mistakes – So you Don’t Make Yours

I’ve been in practice for 30+ years, which was unfortunately interrupted by an early 6 am knock at my front door,

and a 2nd at 8 am at my podiatric medical practice – all for a problem that I created.

As a result, I Plead Guilty to a Felony and was convicted of a federal White-Collar crime, and was sentenced to time in the BOP.

After my release, and several years of hard work, my license was, restored in full in 2010.

Around that time

  • I chose to use my skills in medicine
  • with my understanding of the BOP
  • to assist those of you,
  • who like me,
  • find themselves facing our Criminal Justice System.

While I Was UNPREPARED

I Made It A Point

  • TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE RESOURCES SO YOU WILL BE PREPARED- BECAUSE IN PRISON, AS IN LIFE
  • PREPARATION = SURVIVAL
  •  WHILE YOUR STAY IN PRISON WILL BE TEMPORARY (and At times uncomfortable)

The Goal Is To Be Productive and Keep It as Short as Possible

Surrendering To The BOP During COVID Their Modified Operation Levels

Quarantine: Levels: #1, 2, or 3

  • Even though Level 1 is the Lowest,
    • Masks may be required, (remember that the flu is another complication this yr. as we have been isolated since 2/2020)
    • but otherwise, all appears to be functioning normally
  • If you’re designated to a facility that is under Operational Level 2 or 3
    • These may require that additional CDC prevention guidelines be followed
  • Here the Warden is Responsible for determining his ‘operation level’, and
    • these levels will vary around the BOP.

You could be in Quarantine for 2-4 weeks,

  • Remember in the Big Picture –THIS IS TEMPORARY
  • Now preparing for 1-4 weeks in a cell – You Will Get Bored
  • Think about Books – Books You Can Learn From:
  • Make a list of books you’d like to read – START SENDING TWO DAYS BEFORE YOU ARRIVE,
  • Pre-Set a schedule for each friend and family member – it’s cheaper for all
  • Getting too many books at once could get you in trouble
    • Ask family & friends to each send books from the list, 2 books at a time
  • When you get to the Camp or Low
    • After you make friends, ask them, to ask their family, to call yours and let them know you are OK.

Hardback – from Amazon, Softback – from home

  1. Marco Polo’s “Travels”,
  2. Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”,
  3. Nelson Mandela’s Autobiography
  4. The Three Laws of Performance, By Steve Zaffron
  5. Rich Dad, Poor Dad, by Robert T. Kiyosaki
  6. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
  7. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: STEPHEN R COVEY
  8. The Power of Habit: by Charles Duhigg
  9. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
  10. The Gift, Edith Eva Eger

… these are all great places to start and should continue throughout your stay

Inmates may also receive up to five magazines (no sexually explicit material) or paperback books per day.

Paperback books sent in a package

  • must have the contents clearly annotated on the outside of the box
  • (IE… 5 paperback books enclosed in accordance with BOP policy), and
  • only the books may be in the package.

Books, magazines, and photos are the basic items that an inmate may receive from family and friends.

Hard-covered books:

  • (no padded covers, no enclosed CD/DVD) and/or newspapers
  • only from a publisher, distributor, or bookseller (IE… Amazon.com, Walden Books.com).

 

Blank journals, diaries, address books, daily planners, card stock, construction paper, hobby craft materials, or sketchbooks

  • are not authorized for receipt.
  • Inmates also cannot receive any food items, clothing, or electronic media (CDs, DVDs, flash drives, etc…).

Consultations are on me.

Thank you! Marc

240.888.7778

DrMB@PPRSUS.com

Physician Presentence Report Service

No matter where you are in The Process, there are things we can do

* No Physician,  Attorney, or Consultant can promise any outcomes.

 

You’re The Target of The FBI – Surrendering During COVID 2022/2023

By inDr. M Blatstein's Blog

You’re The Target of The FBI – Surrendering During COVID 2022/2023

 

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WILL BE SURRENDERING DURING WINTER 2022/2023

COVID ALONG WITH THE FLU/INFLUENZA MAY BE PRESENT AT YOUR FACILITY

 

YOU CAN CHECK THIS OUT FIRST BY GOING TO THE BOP WEBSITE AT BOP.GOV

WHEN YOU GET THERE, YOU WILL LOOK FOR THE BOP COVID CURRENT MODIFIED OPERATION LEVELS, THEN LOOK FOR YOUR PRISON

 

IN 2020 THE WORLD WAS CAUGHT BY SURPRISE, BUT BETWEEN ISOLATION, MASKS, AND VACCINES, HERE IN THE US, WE’VE MANAGED TO COME THROUGH IT.

 

All prisons and jails, being closed-in environments, are perfect breeding grounds for viruses. Through the 2020/2021 COVID epidemic there were a few wardens who did a great job at protecting their inmates and staff alike.

 

ALONG WITH THE OTHER ITEMS I’VE COVERED THAT YOU VAN BRING WITH YOU [SEE MY WEBSITE: PPRSUS.com]

If you have had all your COVID vaccines and boosters, bring verification

If you haven’t, that’s ok too.

If you had your Flu Shot, bring verification.

Should your warden be overly cautious in instituting precautions, be grateful. It is better to err on the side of caution.

Through your preparation of the PSR, the Judge has already seen YOUR COMPLETE MEDICAL Record, which should be at the Prison.

At this point, I cannot tell you if you will be put into an isolation cell, but as of this recording 12/10/2022, that may not be necessary.

Hello and welcome My name is Marc Blatstein – and I’m the Physician who found Physician Presentence Report Service (PPRS)

My focus in creating The Physician Presentence Report Service

Is ALWAYS – Being Prepared

 

Learn From My Mistakes – So you Don’t Make Yours

I’ve been in practice for 30+ years, which was unfortunately interrupted by an early 6 am knock at my front door, and a 2nd at 8 am at my podiatric medical practice – all for a problem that I created.

 

As a result,

I Plead Guilty to a Felony, was convicted of a federal White-Collar crime, and was sentenced to time in the BOP.

After my release, and several years of hard work, my license was, restored in full in 2010.

Around that time

·        I chose to use my skills in medicine

·        with my understanding of the BOP

·        to assist those of you,

·        who like me,

·        find themselves facing our Criminal Justice System.

 

While I found myself totally UNPREPARED

I Made It A Point;

TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE RESOURCES SO YOU

WILL BE PREPARED- BECAUSE

IN PRISON – AS IN LIFE

PREPARATION = SURVIVAL

 

WHILE YOUR STAY IN PRISON WILL BE TEMPORARY (and At times uncomfortable)

The Goal Is To Be Productive and

Keep It as Short as Possible

Surrendering To The BOP During COVID Modified Operation Levels

Quarantine: Levels: #1, 2, or 3

•        Even though Level 1 is the Lowest,

  • Masks may be required, (remember that the flu is another complication this yr. as we were isolated since 2/2020), but otherwise, all appears to be functioning normally

•        If you’re designated to a facility that is under Operational Level 2 or 3

  • These may require that additional CDC prevention guidelines be followed

•        Here the Warden is Responsible for determining his ‘operation level’, and these levels will vary around the BOP.

 

You could be in Quarantine 2-4 weeks, 

•        Remember in the Big Picture –THIS IS TEMPORARY

•        Now preparing for 1-4 weeks in a cell – You Will Be Bored

•        Think about Books – Books You Can Learn From:

•        Make a list of books you’d like to read – START SENDING THEM TWO DAYS BEFORE YOU ARRIVE,

•         Create a Pre-Set schedule for each friend and family member – and it’s cheaper for all

•        Getting too many books at once could get you in trouble

  • Ask family & friends to each send books from the list, 2 books at a time

•        When you get to the Camp, or Low

  • After you make friends, ask them, to ask their family, to call yours and let them know you are OK, if you haven’t been able to make a call or get to the BOP email system

 

Hardback – from Amazon, Softback – from home

1.      Marco Polo’s “Travels”,

2.      Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”,

3.      Nelson Mandela’s Autobiography

4.      The Three Laws of Performance, By Steve Zaffron

5.      Rich Dad, Poor Dad, by Robert T. Kiyosaki

6.      How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

7.      The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: STEPHEN R COVEY

8.      The Power of Habit: by Charles Duhigg

9.      Steve Jobs  by Walter Isaacson

10.   The Gift, Dr. Edith Eva Eger

… these are all a great place to start and should continue throughout your stay

BOP Rules:

Inmates may also receive up to five magazines (no sexually explicit material) or paperback books per day.

Paperback books sent in a package (from home)

·        must have the contents clearly annotated on the outside of the box

·        (IE… 5 paperback books enclosed in accordance with BOP policy), and

·        only the books may be in the package.

·        From The BOP, Books, magazines, and photos are the basic items that an inmate may receive from family and friends.

Hard-covered books:

·        (no padded covers, no enclosed CD/DVD) and/or newspapers

·        only from a publisher, distributor, or bookseller (IE… Amazon.com, Walden Books.com).

Not Authorized,

Blank journals, diaries, address books, daily planners, card stock, construction paper, hobby craft materials, or sketchbooks

·        Inmates also cannot receive any food items, clothing, or electronic media (CDs, DVDs, flash drives, etc…).

You’re Now The Target of The FBI – You Have A Choice.

PREPARATION • SELF-ADVOCACY • REENTRY PLANNING

SUCCESSFUL ⇒ LIFE AFTER RELEASE

Consultations are on me.

Thank you! Marc

240.888.7778

DrMB@PPRSUS.com

Physician Presentence Report Service

No matter where you are in The Process, there are things we can do

* No Physician,  Attorney, or Consultant can promise any outcomes.

BOP | COVID-19 | Hydroxychloroquine | The Science

By inDr. M Blatstein's Blog

BOP/ COVID-19 / Hydroxychloroquine / The Science Was Not There

BOP buys $60,000 worth of hydroxychloroquine

White House economic adviser Peter Navarro reportedly clashed with the National Institute of Infectious Diseases director Dr. Anthony Fauci over the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine as a coronavirus treatment.

Unproven COVID-19 treatment drug;

Many Trump-friendly pundits, however, are convinced of the drug’s effectiveness, most notably those on Fox News shows from which the president is known to take policy cues.

INDICATIONS:

Malaria (not recommended for the treatment of complicated malaria.)

Lupus Erythematosus

Rheumatoid Arthritis: the treatment of acute and chronic RA in adults.

Common side effects of Hydroxychloroquine include:

  • nausea,
  • vomiting,
  • stomach pain or cramps,
  • loss of appetite,
  • weight loss,
  • diarrhea,
  • dizziness,
  • spinning sensation,
  • headache,
  • ringing in your ears,
  • mood changes,
  • nervousness,
  • irritability,
  • skin rash,
  • itching, or
  • hair loss.

________________________

Clinical Effectiveness COVID-19 Resources Available to All

UpToDate (Medical Experts for Physicians)

Clinical Effectiveness COVID-19 Resources

Drugs – COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Management in adults

 

I) Hydroxychloroquine/chloroquine— 

There are insufficient data thus far to know whether hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine has a role in the treatment of COVID-19. For this reason, we strongly recommend that patients should be referred to a clinical trial whenever possible.

If hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine is used outside of a clinical trial, the potential for adverse effects should be carefully assessed. (See “Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Arrhythmias and conduction system disease”, the section on ‘Monitoring for QT prolongation.)

 

Ia) Azithromycin and hydroxychloroquine –

We do not routinely use azithromycin in combination with hydroxychloroquine for treating COVID-19. Although one study suggested the use of azithromycin in combination with hydroxychloroquine was associated with more rapid resolution of virus detection than hydroxychloroquine alone [62], this result should be interpreted with caution…

 

II) Remdesivir (Testing canceled, not because the drug wasn’t working, but because it proved too difficult to enroll the required number of patients. (Endpoints News))

…is a novel nucleotide analog that has activity against SARS-CoV-2 in vitro [43] and related coronaviruses (including SARS and MERS-CoV) both in vitro and in animal studies [44]. Several randomized trials are underway to evaluate the efficacy of remdesivir for moderate or severe COVID-19 [45].

IIa) The WHO is launching a trial to further evaluate:

…remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine/chloroquine, and lopinavir-ritonavir with and without interferon beta [76]. Various other antiviral and immunomodulating agents are in various stages of evaluation for COVID-19. A registry of international clinical trials can be found on the WHO website and at clinicaltrials.gov.

 

III) Convalescent plasma —

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is accepting investigational new drug applications for use of convalescent plasma for patients with severe or life-threatening COVID-19 [50]; pathways for use through these applications include clinical trials, expanded access programs, and emergency individual use.

 

IV) Tocilizumab

…is an interleukin (IL)-6 receptor inhibitor used for rheumatic diseases and cytokine release syndrome. Elevated IL-6 levels have been described in patients with severe COVID-19, and case reports have described good outcomes with tocilizumab [66-69].

 

COVID-19 | BOP | 2019 – Current

By inDr. M Blatstein's Blog

6′ of Separation (In The BOP)

COVID

Then and now, Today BA.5 is a spreader, but


COVID-19 

  • Prisons (Federal, State) and 
  • Jails,
  • like Cruise Ships,

Unfortunately, act as perfect breeding grounds for any kind of virus and especially one that currently has few treatment protocols.

7/9/2020 (6 South Florida)

South Florida Federal Corrections Officers Warn of Potential Coronavirus Crisis Brewing

6/30/2020 (Reason)

These Women Received a Death Sentence for Being Sick In Prison – alleged medical neglect at FCI Aliceville, a federal women’s prison.

6/28/2020 (Forbes)

Otisville Federal Prison Camp Is More Like A Higher Security Prison In Fight Against Covid-19

6/11/2020 (Fort Worth Star)

11th inmate from a federal medical prison in Fort Worth died from coronavirus. This is discouraging as Fort Worth is a BOP Federal Medical Center.

5/28/2020 (Lexington Herald Leader)

Federal Medical Center prison helps drive a single-day spike in Lexington (FMC) COVID-19 cases.

5/28/2020 (LA Times)

Inmate labeled as ‘recovered’ from coronavirus dies at Terminal Island

 

5/28/2020 (Morning Journal)

Forest City Low-FCI prison in Arkansas currently has more federal prison coronavirus cases, according to the BOP website.

 

5/27/2020 (The Crime Report)

A task force led by current and former justice officials has proposed a 15-point platform to improve the federal criminal justice system.

5/27/2020 (Salon)

Even as the Justice Department announced that federal prisons would release vulnerable, nonviolent inmates to home confinement to avoid the spread of COVID-19, the agency was quietly adopting a policy that makes it harder for inmates to qualify for release, not easier.

5/27/2020 (AP)

TERRE HAUTE – An inmate at the federal prison complex in Terre Haute who had COVID-19 has died, and three others there also have tested positive for the disease, the Bureau of Prison said Tuesday.

 

5/26/2020 (Government Executive)

…a secret BOP policy has kept all but 1.8% of federal inmates behind bars where the virus rages.

May 22, 2020 (KSAT.com)

A Federal Bureau of Federal Prisons truck drives past barbed wire fences at the Federal Medical Center prison in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, May 16, 2020. Hundreds of inmates inside the facility have tested positive for COVID-19 and several inmates have died with numbers expected to rise. (AP Photo/LM Otero) (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Federal prison system to begin moving nearly 7K inmates to one of three designated quarantine sites — FCC Yazoo City in Mississippi, FCC Victorville in California, and FTC Oklahoma City — or to a Bureau of Prisons detention center.

May 16, 2020 (The Review)

Of the 399 accumulated COVID-19 cases in Columbiana County, the health department reports nearly 25 percent, 94 of the cases, have been inmates from FCI-Elkton, totaling 118 for inmates and 12 corrections staff.

May 11, 2020

Inmates, families fear worst for Fort Worth Federal Medical Center – as the prison is ‘consumed’ by coronavirus where 636 inmates — 43% of the total population — had tested positive, and five have died.

May 10, 2020 (CBS DFW)

Tarrant County Public Health (TCPH) reported 485 new cases of the coronavirus Sunday, of which 423 were caused by the Texas Fort Worth Federal Medical Center prison outbreak. So far, the county has seen 3,695 positive cases and 780 recoveries.

May 9, 2020 (FCI Lompoc):

But covid-19 at FCI Lompoc is straining the relationship with LOMPOC, Calif. residents, part of this central California agricultural community.

70% of inmates test positive for coronavirus at Lompoc federal prison.

May 8, 2020 (KTLA5):

As of Friday 5/8/2020, 823 inmates tested positive in FCI Lompoc (2 have died), and another 644 at FCI Terminal Island (6 have died at the San Pedro facility).

May 8, 2020 (The Appeal):

FCI Hazelton is one of 11 federal prisons designated quarantine facilities. When new people are convicted or otherwise brought into the federal system, they will be sent to one of the facilities for a two-week quarantine period, BOP spokesperson Justin Long told The Appeal.

May 5-6, 2020 (Lex 18):

70 inmates test positive at the Lexington Federal Medical Center (FMC) in Lexington, Kentucky, however “communication with [FMC Lexington] has been sporadic, and sometimes it’s non-existent,” Lexington Health Department Spokesman Kevin Hall

May 5-6, 2020 (Lex 18):

LEXINGTON Federal Medical Center is quickly emerging as a hot spot for Coronavirus in Kentucky, without providing the needed communication with Lexington Fayette County Health Department.

May 1, 2020 (Penn Live Patriot-News):

LEWISBURG – Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary will transition into a medium-security facility is complete (and every unit will have multiple rooms with televisions, computer stations, and telephones).

May 1, 2020 (The Marshall Project):

COVID-19 continues to spread through Ohio prisons, with the FCI Marion and Pickaway correctional institutions combining for nearly 2,500 confirmed cases of the coronavirus. That is an estimated 80 percent of the inmates in those two prisons.

 

April 30, 2020 (The Marshall Project):

Texas prison system failed for years to equip employees with personal protective equipment…

Over 70 percent of tested inmates in the federal prison system have COVID-19. AP

COVID-19 outbreak at FCI Terminal Island is now the largest within the Bureau of Prisons system…

 

April 28, 2020 (ABC, WQAD8)

Thomson USP is one of 11 facilities designated as a “quarantine location,” now concerns over-testing.

April 23, 2020

…a federal judge dismissed a class-action lawsuit that was aimed at getting medically vulnerable prisoners released from the federal prison in Oakdale, Louisiana.

 

April 22, 2020 (Forbes):

Bureau Of Prisons Removes Webpage FAQ Home Confinement On COVID-19. BOP Website Displays…..

 

April 20, 2020 (Government Executive):

Union Files National Grievance Over Alleged Safety Violations at Federal Prisons During Coronavirus Pandemic. Forced leave, lack of protective gear, and privacy breaches are among the allegations.

April 18, 2020 (NYT):

‘Something Is Going to Explode’: When Coronavirus Strikes a Prison. An oral history of the first fatal outbreak in the federal prison system, in Oakdale, La.

 

Friday, April 17, 2020 (ABC):

Butner ( a BOP Federal Medical Center) has more COVID-19 cases than any other prison in the federal system: 66 inmates and 25 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 at Butner; four inmates have died

 

April 15, 2020 (Forbes):

COVID-19 Positive Tests in Bureau of Prisons Institutions (April 14, 2020) W PAVLO

Federal Bureau Of Prisons Institutions Not Showing Any Signs Of “Flattening Curve”, By Walter Pavlo

The continued inaction of the BOP to swiftly reduce the population of inmates, particularly the elderly and those with underlying health conditions, is an unfolding story with tragic consequences.

April 14, 2020 (Marshall Project):

Nearly 600 prisoners and staff members are infected with COVID-19 in the federal system. Thirteen prisoners have died. Bureau of Prisons

 

April 8, 2020 (The Appeal):

Don’t Look to the DOJ to Keep Federal Prisons and Their Surrounding Communities Safe During the COVID-19 Pandemic. By  Shon Hopwood/Felon turned Georgetown Law Professor, Apr 08, 2020

April 8, 2020 (NYT):

…1,324 confirmed coronavirus cases are tied to prisons and jails across

Prisoners hung signs pleading for help in a window of the Cook County jail on Tuesday.Credit…Jim Vondruska/Reuters

the United States

 

April 7, 2020 (News Observer):

The Federal Correctional Complex at Butner is moving to the top of the list of prisons for early release 

April 6, 2020 (NPR):

Inmates, Staff On Edge As COVID-19 Spreads Through Federal Prisons  The Federal Bureau of Prisons says 138 inmates and 59 employees have tested positive and at least seven inmates have died.

April 4, 2020 (FEDweek):

 

Brooklyn, NY - Feb 2019: Protest over inmate conditions in front of the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center which partially lost power and heat, resulting in a lockdown.

Brooklyn, NY – Feb 2019: Protest over inmate conditions in front of the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center which partially lost power and heat, resulting in a lockdown.

Bureau of Prisons Implements Partial Lockdown to Halt Spread; The challenge is that prisons and jails are not built to provide 6′ of separation to inmates and correction staff.  I have to assume that PPE, cleaning materials and testing for all parties are not diligently implemented.

April 2, 2020:

Marshall Project: Coronavirus Tracker By State: How Justice Systems Are Responding in Each State; Coronavirus • Published 03.17.2020 • Updated 2:03 P.M. 03.25.2020

April 1, 2020 (Gov Exec Daily):

Federal Prison System Goes Into ‘Modified Lockdown’.

The Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., had the first known case of coronavirus in the federal prison system. The facility is shown here in February 2019. KATHY WILLENS / AP

New procedures due to coronavirus concerns will last 14 days, after which the agency will re-evaluate. By COURTNEY BUBLÉ

Mar 31, 2020 (The Appeal, MedPage):

BOP Halfway House Residents Describe ‘A Scary Situation’ As Coronavirus Sweeps The U.S. By Lauren Gill. These halfway houses appear ill-prepared for the influx of those who may have (or haven’t yet contracted), COVID-19.

 

wearing a basic face mask in the community setting to augment our protection against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is biologically plausible, and potentially impactful.

wearing a basic face mask in the community setting to augment our protection against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is biologically plausible, and potentially impactful.

Could Wearing a Face Mask Be a COVID-19 Game Changer?— Augmenting protection during a global pandemic. by Rossi A. Hassad Ph.D., MPH

An easy and cheap option for all inmates and correction staff, in either Jail, Halfway House, State, Federal or Private facility. We can argue the efficacy benefit later.

Mar 30, 2020 (Vice News, NYT):

Inside the Federal Prison, That’s ‘Ground Zero’ For the Coronavirus Outbreak, By Keegan Hamilton

Mar 27, 2020 (The Marshall Project):

156-beds-in-Elm-Hall-a-minimum-security-dormitory-at-the-California-Institution-for-Men

No such thing as social distancing in prison. From THE MARSHALL PROJECT

PUBLIC HEALTH DOCTOR AND HEAD OF CORRECTIONS AGREE: WE

MUST IMMEDIATELY RELEASE PEOPLE FROM JAILS AND PRISONS; By Brie Williams, Leann Bertsch

Mar 26, 2020 (The Hill):

COVID-19 gives us an urgent argument for compassionate release, BY KEVIN RING, OPINION CONTRIBUTOR – The Hill

Mar 24, 2020 (wbur):

A medical exam room in the Worcester County jail in West Boylston

A medical exam room in the Worcester County jail in West Boylston

Pain And Profits: Sheriffs Hand Off Inmate Care To Private Health Companies; By Christine Willmsen  and Beth Healy

COVID-19 Long-Term Complications

By inDr. M Blatstein's Blog Tag , , , , , , ,
long covid

Post COVID-19 Longterm Complications;

The world’s medical and scientific communities are now facing an ever-increasing list of symptoms, in early 2020.

With the pandemic just months old,

  • no one knows how far into the future symptoms will endure, and
  • whether COVID-19 will spur the onset of chronic diseases.
  • Ongoing problems include
    • fatigue,
    • a racing heartbeat,
    • shortness of breath,
    • achy joints,
    • foggy thinking,
    • a persistent loss of sense of smell, and
    • damage to the heart, lungs, kidneys, and brain.

Long after the fire of a Covid-19 infection, mental and neurological effects can still smolder[1]

  • Beyond the fatigue, neuropsychological problems range from headaches,
  • dizziness, and
  • lingering loss of smell or taste to mood disorders and deeper cognitive impairment.

Doctors have concerns that patients may also suffer lasting damage to their

  • heart, kidneys, and liver from the inflammation and blood clotting the disease causes.
  • Additionally, between 30% and 50% of people with an infection that has clinical manifestations are going to have some form of mental health issues,” said Teodor Postolache, professor of psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

So far the virus appears to cause its damage to the brain and nervous system not as much through direct infection as through the indirect effects of inflammation, said Victoria Pelak, professor of neurology and ophthalmology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

“Strokes are larger, potentially more damaging with this disorder. Once inflammation or blood vessel problems occur within the nervous system itself, those people will have a lot longer road to recovery or may die from those illnesses,” Colorado’s Pelak said.

Doctors are also watching for a syndrome called demyelination, as in the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis, which can cause weakness, numbness, and tingling. It can also disrupt how people think, in some cases spurring psychosis and hallucinations. “We’re just not sure if this virus causes it more commonly than other viruses,” Pelak said.

The COVID-19 infection might also act as a “priming event” for problems to resurface in the future said Teodor Postolache. Psychological stress could reactivate behavioral and emotional problems that were initially triggered by the immune system responding to the virus. “What we call psychological versus biological may actually be quite biological,” he said.

Ely of Vanderbilt suggests three things to do now.

  1. “We can open the hospitals back up to the families. That’s important,” he said.
  2. “We can be aware of these problems and tell the families about them so that the families will know that this is coming. [And]
  3. we can do counseling and psychological help on the back end.”

8/12/2020, MIT Technology Review:[2] Covid-19 “long haulers” are organizing online to study themselves.

Slack groups and social media are connecting people who have never fully recovered from coronavirus to collect data on their condition.

Gina Assaf was running in Washington, DC, on March 19 when she suddenly couldn’t take another step. “I was so out of breath I had to stop,” she says. Five days earlier, she’d hung out with a friend; within days, that friend and their partner had started showing three classic signs of COVID-19: fever, cough, and shortness of breath.

Assaf had those symptoms too, but a full month after falling ill, she attempted to go grocery shopping and ended up in bed for days. In those first few months, Assaf found a legion of people in situations similar to her own in a Slack support group for COVID-19 patients, including hundreds who self-identified as “long-haulers,” the term most commonly used to describe those who remain sick long after being infected.

It wasn’t until late July that the US Centers for Disease Control published a paper recognizing that as many as one-third of coronavirus patients not sick enough to be admitted to the hospital don’t fully recover. So Assaf, a technology design consultant, launched  Patient-Led Research for Covid-19[ii], and released its first report[iii].

The Body Politic COVID-19 Support Group[iv]

On 8/12/2020, Wes Ely, a pulmonologist and critical care physician at Vanderbilt University Medical Center who studies delirium during intensive care (watch video)[22] stay. “The problem for these people (when coming off ventilators), is not over when they leave the hospital.”

Long-term effects are health issues that are caused by an illness, disease, or treatment that lasts for several months or years after infection. Long-term effects can be physical, mental, or emotional and can occur even if the initial illness or disease is no longer present in the body.[23].

This applies to post-COVID-19 patients (Long-Haulers), as physicians and scientists from around the globe begin to study these patients post-hospitalization.

The long haul | Science science.sciencemag.org Screenshot

Also found in my LinkedIn: Compassionate Relief – COVID-19 Emerging Long-Term Complications 

[1] https://www.statnews.com/2020/08/12/after-covid19-mental-neurological-effects-smolder/

[2] https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/08/12/1006602/covid-19-long-haulers-are-organizing-online-to-study-themselves/

[3] https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScM2EeJhgisTUdo5Op6euyx1PYu8O-aNeDVYhXuPFa_Gs9PnQ/viewform

[4] https://patientresearchcovid19.com/

[5] https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KmLkOArlJem-PArnBMbSp-S_E3OozD47UzvRG4qM5Yk/edit

[6] https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KmLkOArlJem-PArnBMbSp-S_E3OozD47UzvRG4qM5Yk/edit

[7] https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KmLkOArlJem-PArnBMbSp-S_E3OozD47UzvRG4qM5Yk/edit

[8] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/how-does-coronavirus-affect-the-brain

[9] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/how-does-coronavirus-affect-the-brain

[10] https://www.medpagetoday.com/neurology/dementia/87543

[11] https://health.ucdavis.edu/health-news/newsroom/covid-fatigue-is-hitting-hard-fighting-it-is-hard-too-says-uc-davis-health-psychologist/2020/07

[12] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/how-does-coronavirus-affect-the-brain

[13] https://health.ucdavis.edu/health-news/newsroom/covid-fatigue-is-hitting-hard-fighting-it-is-hard-too-says-uc-davis-health-psychologist/2020/07

[14] https://www.ptsd.va.gov/covid/COVID_effects_ptsd.asp#:~:text=PTSD%20Symptoms%20Can%20Be%20Affected,things%20most%20people%20consider%20safe.

[15] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/how-does-coronavirus-affect-the-brain

[16] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/how-does-coronavirus-affect-the-brain#:~:text=A%3A%20Cases%20around%20the%20world,Seizures

[17] https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/14627/impact-of-the-coronavirus-pandemic-covid-19-on-mood-disorders-and-suicide#:~:text=During%20the%20coronavirus%20COVID%2D19,problems%20and%20perceived%20social%20isolation.

[18] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/how-does-coronavirus-affect-the-brain

[19] https://www.healthline.com/health-news/the-covid-19-symptoms-most-people-could-miss

[20] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/how-does-coronavirus-affect-the-brain

[21] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/how-does-coronavirus-affect-the-brain

[22] https://www.icudelirium.org/

[23] https://www.talktomira.com/post/what-are-the-long-term-side-effects-of-coronavirus-covid-19

[i] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/duration-isolation.html?deliveryName=USCDC_2067-DM35559

[ii] https://patientresearchcovid19.com/

[iii] https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KmLkOArlJem-PArnBMbSp-S_E3OozD47UzvRG4qM5Yk/edit

[2] https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/08/12/1006602/covid-19-long-haulers-are-organizing-online-to-study-themselves/

[3] https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScM2EeJhgisTUdo5Op6euyx1PYu8O-aNeDVYhXuPFa_Gs9PnQ/viewform

[4] https://patientresearchcovid19.com/

[5] https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KmLkOArlJem-PArnBMbSp-S_E3OozD47UzvRG4qM5Yk/edit

[6] https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KmLkOArlJem-PArnBMbSp-S_E3OozD47UzvRG4qM5Yk/edit

[7] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/how-does-coronavirus-affect-the-brain

[8] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/how-does-coronavirus-affect-the-brain

[9] https://www.medpagetoday.com/neurology/dementia/87543

[10] https://health.ucdavis.edu/health-news/newsroom/covid-fatigue-is-hitting-hard-fighting-it-is-hard-too-says-uc-davis-health-psychologist/2020/07

[11] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/how-does-coronavirus-affect-the-brain

[12] https://health.ucdavis.edu/health-news/newsroom/covid-fatigue-is-hitting-hard-fighting-it-is-hard-too-says-uc-davis-health-psychologist/2020/07

[13] https://www.ptsd.va.gov/covid/COVID_effects_ptsd.asp#:~:text=PTSD%20Symptoms%20Can%20Be%20Affected,things%20most%20people%20consider%20safe.

[14] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/how-does-coronavirus-affect-the-brain

[15] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/how-does-coronavirus-affect-the-brain#:~:text=A%3A%20Cases%20around%20the%20world,Seizures

[16] https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/14627/impact-of-the-coronavirus-pandemic-covid-19-on-mood-disorders-and-suicide#:~:text=During%20the%20coronavirus%20COVID%2D19,problems%20and%20perceived%20social%20isolation.

[17] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/how-does-coronavirus-affect-the-brain

[18] https://www.healthline.com/health-news/the-covid-19-symptoms-most-people-could-miss

[19] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/how-does-coronavirus-affect-the-brain

[20] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/how-does-coronavirus-affect-the-brain

[21] https://www.icudelirium.org/

[22] https://www.talktomira.com/post/what-are-the-long-term-side-effects-of-coronavirus-covid-19

[i] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/duration-isolation.html?deliveryName=USCDC_2067-DM35559

Post-COVID Virus Causes Lingering or Ongoing Symptoms

By inDr. M Blatstein's Blog Tag , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
PPRS - PPRSUS - Physician Presentence Report Service

The complicated care required for Post-COVID Long-Haulers is likely beyond the mission of most (if not all) prisons, jails, and detention centers.

According to researchers, this is still an active area of investigation. As we are approaching spring/fall 2022/2023, the Post-COVID Pandemic may be becoming an Endemic. Still, with that in mind, treating Post-COVID Long-Haulers and the amount and variety of staff, equipment, finances, and time needed, may just not be available to those incarcerated.

“COVID is a true roller coaster of symptoms and severities, with each new day offering many unknowns.”

 “The difficulty is sorting out long-term consequences,” says Joseph Brennan, a cardiologist at the Yale School of Medicine.

While some patients may fully recover, he and other experts worry others will suffer long-term damage, including lung scarring, heart damage, and neurological and mental health effects.

Long after the fire of a Covid-19 infection, mental and neurological effects can still smolder[1]. ‘Long-Haulers’ after the initial COVID-19 hospitalization: fall into 3 categories (Dr. Sanghavi)

1st) The COVID virus causes lingering or ongoing symptoms, meaning that “ symptoms do not recover completely and are ongoing because of direct cell damage from the virus,”

No alt text provided for this image

2nd) involves chronic ICU hospitalization for weeks. This causes:

  • muscle weakness,
  • cognitive brain dysfunction,
  • psychosocial stress-causing post-traumatic stress disorder (from chronic hospitalization).

3rd) symptoms appearing after recovery. “Interplay with the immune system of a person, and then the impact that both those things have on the body.”

“We are still trying to understand exactly how this interplay between the immune system and inflammatory markers work, but there’s no doubt that that is a group of symptoms because of ramped up immunity or ramped up inflammatory system,” Dr. Sanghavi added.

No alt text provided for this image

Peripheral nerve issues, such as Guillain-Barré Syndrome, can lead to paralysis and respiratory failure.

Post-COVID Stress Disorder is another emerging consequence of the global pandemic.

Although most cases of COVID-19 appear to be mild with a recovery time of a few weeks, health experts are seeing more patients who suffer symptoms for months or get better, and then relapse down the road.

Isolation Is Not the Answer, Precautions for Adults with COVID-19[ii]

For more…

POST – COVID A PHYSICIAN’S JOURNEY

By inDr. M Blatstein's Blog Tag , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
PPRS - PPRSUS - Physician Presentence Report Service

POST – COVID, A PHYSICIAN’S JOURNEY

Post – COVID a physician’s journey in the summer of 2020 working on both general medical and COVID-positive wards. But by November of that year, the U.K. was in its second wave and second lockdown, with COVID deaths and hospital admissions rising.

“Like being on a treadmill I could not get off”

Being given only basic personal protective equipment (PPE), Dr. Fearnley and her newly graduated doctors were sent onto medical and COVID wards. While on a COVID ward, and after not feeling well, a PCR Test returned positive for COVID, and what comes next follows the phases she went through:

  • “The acute phase lasted 2 weeks – comparable to a case of mild-to-moderate flu.”
  • “As a fit and healthy 35-year-old with no comorbidities, she naively expected to recover quickly,”
  • “By week 3, she still had a lingering fever,”
  • By week 4, Dr. Fearnley wanted to return to work, but being lightheaded and jelly-legged, just made it home.

Thus began the start of her long Post-COVID Long-Hauler (as it was later defined) Journey.

Getting slightly graphic, these attacks “were associated with an unquenchable thirst, with or without an urgent need to open to my bowels, vomiting, or increased shortness of breath. These came in daily cycles lasting up to 14 hours at a time. I would frequently shake through the entire night”.

For more…