California prisons fight virus outbreaks amid staff concerns

By DON THOMPSON
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — With a new and more infectious coronavirus variant sweeping California, attorneys representing inmates say violations of health orders by prison staff risk a repeat of the outbreaks that killed dozens in the first year of the pandemic. The most recent statistics show large percentages of employees who are required to be tested twice weekly aren’t doing so, and most face no consequences. Corrections officials say those figures are suspect but can’t provide updated data. They are shutting down admissions to one prison amid an outbreak. The concern comes as new cases soar across California and state models predict a gradual increase in hospitalizations and intensive care admissions over the next month.