Addressing the Public Health Crisis of U.S. Carceral Facilities: An Integrated and Equitable Approach

The SARS-CoV-2 virus and resultant coronavirus disease (COVID19) have caused unprecedented suffering among incarcerated individuals since the beginning of the pandemic. While many believe that widespread vaccination in carceral settings will solve the problem, this perspective underestimates the severity of the situation and mischaracterizes its driver. Vaccines are a necessary but insufficient component to what should be a comprehensive, immediate, and ethical response to COVID-19 in carceral settings across the United States.