Covid-19 Testing in San Diego County Jails Individual Rights Vs. Public Health and Safety

Published: July 14, 2021 6 pages

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⚠️ Aviso de traducción: Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.

⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.

Findings 2 findings

The COVID-19 virus presents a serious risk to the staff and inmates at San Diego County’s detention facilities and to the public health and safety generally. Fact: The CDC permits the use of both rapid antigen and NAATs (including the PCR method) to detect COVID-19 infection. Fact: Rapid antigen tests generally return results more quickly than a PCR test. Fact: Most NAATs require laboratory processing and the turnaround time for test results is usually one to three days. Fact: At the time of the Grand Jury inspections, conducted from August 2021 to December 2021, the SDSD administered only PCR tests.

At the time of the Grand Jury inspections, SDSD arrestees may have been unnecessarily exposed to COVID-19 because of the delayed test results.

Recommendations 2

22-42
Page 5

Amend its CODVID-19 prevention protocal to required mandatory COVID-19
22-43
Page 5

Test all arrestees at intake with rapid antigen tests approved under the FDA's

Agency Responses 1

Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.

San Diego County Sheriff Office

August 04, 2022 • 6 pages • 2 responses • Score: 0 (+1, 0, -1) View Details ▾

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2 responses to findings and recommendations

F01

While it is recognized that presentations by AIS and the San Diego County District Attorney’s Elder Abuse Unit have included an overview of all types of elder abuse, the majority of the recent focus has been on elder scams and financial abuse. Fact: County agencies are primarily sharing information about elder abuse with small select groups. Fact: An expanded awareness of elder abuse is included in the safety section of the “Aging Roadmap” presented to the Board of Supervisors in September 2019....

Response: Agree Score: +1

The San Diego County Sheriff's Department agrees with this finding to the extent that COVID-19 is recognized as a public health risk not only in detention facilities but in the broader San Diego community. Our detention facilities are a microcosm of society, who are dealing with the same risks and issues. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognizes this correlation and adopted recommendations for detention facilities to assess their own pandemic risk based on a combination of community COVID-19 levels and unique facility level factors. This is referenced in the May 3, 2022,...

F02

Presentations to small select groups do not achieve the expanding of public awareness of the signs of elder abuse and how to report suspected elder abuse to the extent as outlined in the “Aging Roadmap.” Fact: While AIS has begun to increase public awareness of signs of elder abuse and how to report suspected elder abuse and needs, a larger audience could be reached through the use of media.

Response: Disagree Score: -1

The San Diego County Sheriff's Department disagrees that "SDSD arrestees may have been unnecessarily exposed to COVID-19 because of delayed test results." The Grand Jury report seems to imply that using the more accurate PCR test caused a delay in test results. There is no indication in the grand jury report that any test results were delayed. The PCR test results take longer than the quicker, antigen test. However, because of processes in place, the Department doesn't agree that inmates may have been unnecessarily exposed to COVID-19. All arrestees who were booked into county jail, during tha...