May 17, 2020: Myopic Covid-19 Institutional Operations & Policies

Ohio Department and Rehabilitation Corrections (ODRC) officials dropped the ball when administering Covid-19 testing. Marion Correctional Institution (MCI) was center stage after the Ohio State University Infectious Disease Department tested 2400 prisoners for the novel coronavirus. Within the first 24 - 48 hours after testing, roughly 68% of the population tested positive. ODRC issued a conflicting statement to explain the high number of cases. Although non-supportive of Dr. Acton's assessment of social distancing and quarantine policies. MCI administrators quickly reacted after positive tests were returned; however, applying prescribed measures that were not inline with state medical opinions or Governor Mike DeWine's recommendations for social distancing and quarantining may have infected those who tested negative. By not applying state recommended social distancing policies in MCI living quarters more and more prisoners experienced flu like symptoms; i.e. cold sweats, repetitive coughing, loss of taste & smell, and a host of undiagnosed symptoms unknown to prison medical personnel. Prisoners who may have been asymptomatic, presenting no symptoms of disease (infection), tested negative during the first round of testing; but when the Ohio State Medical staff reapplied the same test and approximately 70% of the 300 plus prisoners tested positive. Myopic policies? In total, MCI tested 2500 prisoners with a roughly 93% positive infection rate. Desperate attempts by the men at MCI to prison officials to apply social distancing in open dorms fell on deaf ears. Myopic operational, logistic, and human resource management policies demonstrated the lack of communication between ODRC, MCI, prisoners, and their families. If it weren't for the multiple news outlets broadcasting of Marion Corrections viral outbreak the public would not have known the dangers MCI prison guards and prisoners faced. Seacrest out....