A report by SAGE (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) indicated that even if the prevalence of the virus decreased in the general population, prisons would still be exposed to a greater risk of infections and might act as “a potential reservoir and amplifier of infection for the community”. A University College London (UCL) study pointed out that the mortality rate of incarcerated people was three times higher than that of the general population. Public health experts recommended they be given priority for vaccinations. Universal“ vaccination for prisoners and prison staff was thus recommended to mitigate the risk of spreading the COVID-19 variant outside of prison.

Prison officers at Dovegate and at Doncaster prisons were supplied with sensors to help with physical distancing. The devices sound an alarm when two people come closer than two meters apart. They were introduced several weeks after a coronavirus outbreak in these facilities.

Approximately 594 prison staff were interviewed about compliance with and the effectiveness of COVID-19 measures. About 42% said that their colleagues complied ‘often’ and 50% ‘sometimes’ or ‘never’. Regarding their effectiveness, 26% said they were ‘very good’ or ‘good’, 38% ‘acceptable’ and 35% ‘bad’ or ‘very bad’. Of those surveyed, 79% of male staff and 86% of female staff felt that their mental and physical health had deteriorated during the pandemic.

A study conducted by EP:IC Consultants of 800 prisoners showed that 20% of prisoners had declined vaccination ─twice as high as in the general population. Among the reasons for turning down the vaccine, prisoners mentioned the lack of information about its side effects and an overall distrust of authorities.

The vaccination of prisoners began in England after having already been rolled out in Wales. Vaccination mainly prioritised the most vulnerable prisoners. The vaccination campaign was expected to be carried out according to the same programme planned for the outside.

The government announced that all adult prisoners in England should have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by 19 July. Dr Eamonn O’Moore, national lead for health and justice at Public Health England (PHE), said 38% of 73,000 prisoners had received their first dose by 11 June.

Preston prison experienced a new surge in COVID-19 cases in April. One prisoner claimed that, within a week, 58 cases were reported in one of the prison wings. Infected prisoners were only allowed to go out for 15 minutes a day, just enough time to take a shower. The others were allowed 90 minutes outside their cell to keep infection rates down as much as possible.

At the National Health System’s request, the Centre for Mental Health stated in a report on mental health that 45 % of prisoners suffered from anxiety or depression, that 8 % had psychosis and that 60 % had had a traumatic brain injury. The number of suicides, self-harm and violent acts reached a record high over the previous few years. The report pointed to disparities in providing care from one prison to another.

Neuro-psychological problems were not well identified, according to three inspectorates who were mandated by the Ministry of Justice. According to a report submitted, most of the prison personnel was not trained in how to provide support to prisoners with such problems (autism-spectrum disorders, learning disabilities, dyslexia, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), acquired brain injury). A pilot project was announced in June for Bristol, Lincoln, New Hall, Swaleside and Berwyn prisons to improve the identification of neuro-psychological issues and ensure tailored support was provided by specialist teachers.

At the National Health Service request, the Centre for Mental Health called for better training on mental health for prison staff. The report it published, The Future of Prison Mental Health Care in England, also criticised the quarantine practices carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some 75,000 out of 156,000 people on probation would have used drugs “problematically” during the 2019-2020 period. Only 3,000 of them sought drug treatment. The quality of this service was said to be mediocre. Prisoners who were treated while in detention had their treatments stopped upon release. A government spokesperson said: “We have recently invested an extra £80m to expand community drug treatment services in England.”