COVID-19 Risk Management and Screening in the Penitentiary Facilities of the Salerno Province in Southern Italy

Antonio Maria Pagano, Aniello Maiese, Carmine Izzo, Adamo Maiese, Marcello Ametrano, Alessandra De Matteis, Maria Rosaria Attianese, Gaia Busato, Rosa Caruso, Michele Cestari, Sebastiana De Biasi, Anna De Chiara, Giuseppe De Matteis, Goffredo Goffredi and Raffaele La Russa
Additional contact information
Antonio Maria Pagano: ASL SALERNO, Dipartimento delle Attività Territoriali, U.O.S.D. Tutela Salute Adulti e Minori, 84124 Salerno, Italy
Aniello Maiese: Department of Surgical Pathology, Medical, Molecular and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa PI, Italy
Carmine Izzo: ASL SALERNO, Dipartimento delle Attività Territoriali, U.O.S.D. Tutela Salute Adulti e Minori, 84124 Salerno, Italy
Adamo Maiese: ASL SALERNO, Department of Clinical Governance, U.O.C. Legal Medicine, 84124 Salerno, Italy
Marcello Ametrano: ASL Salerno, Presidio Ospedaliero di Agropoli, U.O.S. Laboratorio di Analisi, 84124 Salerno, Italy
Alessandra De Matteis: Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
Maria Rosaria Attianese: ASL SALERNO, Dipartimento delle Attività Territoriali, U.O.S.D. Tutela Salute Adulti e Minori, 84124 Salerno, Italy
Gaia Busato: ASL SALERNO, Dipartimento delle Attività Territoriali, U.O.S.D. Tutela Salute Adulti e Minori, 84124 Salerno, Italy
Rosa Caruso: ASL SALERNO, Dipartimento delle Attività Territoriali, U.O.S.D. Tutela Salute Adulti e Minori, 84124 Salerno, Italy
Michele Cestari: ASL SALERNO, Dipartimento delle Attività Territoriali, U.O.S.D. Tutela Salute Adulti e Minori, 84124 Salerno, Italy
Sebastiana De Biasi: ASL SALERNO, Dipartimento delle Attività Territoriali, U.O.S.D. Tutela Salute Adulti e Minori, 84124 Salerno, Italy
Anna De Chiara: ASL SALERNO, Dipartimento delle Attività Territoriali, U.O.S.D. Tutela Salute Adulti e Minori, 84124 Salerno, Italy
Giuseppe De Matteis: ASL SALERNO, Dipartimento delle Attività Territoriali, U.O.S.D. Tutela Salute Adulti e Minori, 84124 Salerno, Italy
Goffredo Goffredi: ASL Salerno, Presidio Ospedaliero di Agropoli, U.O.S. Laboratorio di Analisi, 84124 Salerno, Italy
Raffaele La Russa: Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-9

Abstract: (1) Background: The emergency linked to the spread of COVID-19 in Italy has led to inevitable consequences on the penitentiary system. The risks of this emergency in prisons is mainly related to the problem of persistent overcrowding that makes social distancing difficult and the isolation of any contagion hard to arrange. The Department of Protection for Adults and Minors of the ASL Salerno Criminal Area has taken steps in order to perform screening operations and minimize the risks for prisoners and operators. (2) Methods: We conducted a two-phase observational study. In the first phase, we offered and then executed serum COVID-19 screening to all the convicted inmates. For those who had a doubtful or positive result, a swab was executed in the shortest time possible. In the second phase, a pharyngeal swab was offered and executed to all the police officers, the penitentiary administrative staff and the medical personnel working in the prison. (3) Results: In the first phase, we executed 485 COVID-19 blood tests on prisoners, 3 (0.61%) of which were positive. The three positive inmates underwent nasopharyngeal swabbing, which ultimately were negative. After that, we executed 276 nasopharyngeal swabs on the prison personnel, penitentiary administrative staff and medical personnel—all were negative. (4) Conclusion: All tests (blood tests and swabs) that were carried out on the prisoners and on the staff were negative for COVID-19. We believe that all prisons in Italy and in the world should take action to ensure preventive and control measures in order to safeguard the health of the prison population and of all the people who work there.

Keywords: COVID-19; prison; screening; prevention; convicted people; prison workers (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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