Correctional Service of Canada - Plans and Preparedness for COVID-19 Wave 2

Date: October 1, 2020

Snapshot Federal Correctional Institutions:

CSC manages approximately 12,736 inmates in 43 correctional institutions across the country.
In Wave 1 (March to June): 360 inmates tested positive, 358 recovered and two died.
There are currently no active COVID-19 cases among federal inmates (since June 2020).
Staff: 168 positive cases with 94% having been resolved. Currently, there are 10 active cases.
Conducted over 1200 contact tracing events.
CORCAN has produced over 500,000 non-medical masks.

All sites across Canada have implemented extensive health and safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. These include:

Daily at intake for 14 days.
Use of non-medical masks; physical distancing; hand hygiene; active health screening of anyone entering an institution; and frequent cleaning and disinfecting at sites.

Protocols in place when an inmate or employee is symptomatic or tests positive, including:

Medical isolation for inmates or self-isolation for employees, contact tracing and testing, as required.
Medical isolation is guided by health principles and defined in policy.

PPE at each site, including masks, gloves, gowns and eye protection.
Trained over 250 employees to do contact tracing.
Ensuring that all recommendations from infection prevention and control (IPC) reviews conducted at all institutions have been implemented.

Since the asymptomatic testing strategy was implemented in July, 46 screening clinics have been held for staff and inmates at 21 sites in three regions (Quebec, Prairies and Pacific), with many sites offering more than one round of testing.
This testing revealed no positive cases in institutions.
CSC anticipates the arrival of rapid point of care testing equipment starting in late October. Preparations are underway to implement it in each of the 43 institutions.

CSC is targeting to immunize 80% of the inmate population 65 years of age and older.
Most sites have already received their supply of vaccinations.
Campaigns will focus on ways to increase the uptake of the flu vaccine, including discussion with Inmate Committees and individualized engagement.
CSC is working to arrange flu vaccine clinics for staff at each institution.

Enhanced cleaning protocols at all sites, including disinfecting common areas and high-contact surfaces.
Equipped sites with cleaning supplies and hand sanitizer.
Significant inventories of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in place and ready for use.
Expanded the use of laundry bleach across sites and working to increase hot water capacity.
Completing a review of ventilation system air filters.

CSC’s decisions on operational activities are based on mitigation strategies outlined in the IRMF and each activity has a customized plan.
The IRMF has been developed in collaboration with labour partners and stakeholders.
When a community has reached the caution threshold (10 incidences per week per 100,000 people), a Management Early Response Committee. (MERC) is convened for the relevant area. Local public health and PHAC are engaged to help make recommendations on any changes to risk levels. The local institutional health and safety committee meets to review IPC measures and share information.
Most regions are in grey with key activities and programs that support offender rehabilitation and CSC’s legislated mandate having been reinstated.
Parts of Quebec are in yellow and visits were suspended on September 26 due to high levels of community transmission.

There are five risk levels and here is what they mean:

COVID-19 in the Community

Low Risk (Green)

Low-Moderate Risk (Grey)

Caution Threshold
Moderate Risk (Yellow)

Local community transmission of virus as identified by local public health for which the epidemiology (who, when and where) may not be fully understood.
Reduced access to the site.

COVID-19 at CSC Facility
Moderate Risk (Yellow)

Local community transmission of virus as identified by local public health for which the epidemiology (who, when and where) may not be fully understood.
Reduced access to the site.
High Risk (Red)
Site-wide transmission where source is unidentified.
Lockdown.

Continued close monitoring of the situation across the country, in collaboration with public health.
We are ready and prepared to take targeted actions, as required.
Rolling out regional Correctional Officer Training Programs under new health and safety measures.
CSC continues to use its authorities for the safe release of offenders in order to reduce the spread of the virus in its correctional institutions.
CSC is undertaking a COVID-19 serology study for federal institutions identified as outbreak sites, in collaboration with PHAC and the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force.
Establishing a partnership with the Canadian Red Cross to provide preventative and outbreak support.
Continued and frequent communications with employees, inmates, stakeholders and the public with a focus on prevention and transparency, including online publishing of daily inmate testing result.