Post Bulletin: Groups plead for Walz to take action to prevent prison COVID-19 outbreak
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The groups noted that, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, those over 60 years old or with chronic health conditions are more likely to suffer serious illness from COVID-19 — the respiratory illness caused by coronavirus — or even die. A disproportionate number of inmates live with chronic health conditions compared to the general population, they wrote, and 16% of Minnesota's prison population is over 50 years old.
They also said a COVID-19 outbreak in a prison not only poses risk to inmates, but also corrections officers, prison staff and their families. The Minnesota Department of Corrections has no intensive care unit beds.
The letter was signed by the Minnesota Board of Public Defense, Asset Building Coalition, Catholic Conference and Second Chance Coalition, as well as Justice Action Network, Northwest Indian Community Development Center, Prison Fellowship, Americans for Prosperity-Minnesota, FreedomWorks, Americans for Tax Reform, American Conservative Union and R Street Institute.