Evaluation of Correctional Facility COVID-19 Outbreaks With Layered Mitigation Strategies Including Vaccination: Colorado, 2020-2021.
Heather E MartinezKristen E MarshallVelton W ShowellJacqueline E TateHannah L KirkingMelissa BroudyShannon R MatzingerAlexis BurakoffLi DengDaniel C PayneKatherine Fleming-DutraRachel H JervisPublished in: Journal of correctional health care : the official journal of the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (2023)
In 2020-2021, a Colorado corrections facility experienced four COVID-19 outbreaks. Case counts, attack rates (ARs) in people who are detained or incarcerated (PDI), and mitigation measures used in each outbreak were compared to evaluate effects of combined strategies. Serial PCR testing, isolation/quarantine, and masking were implemented in outbreak 1. Daily staff antigen testing began in outbreak 2. Facility-wide COVID-19 vaccination started in outbreak 3 and coverage increased by the end of outbreak 4 (PDI: <1% to 59%, staff: 27% to 40%). Despite detection of variants of concern, outbreaks 3 and 4 had 97% lower PDI ARs (both 1%) than outbreak 2 (29%). Daily staff testing and increasing vaccination coverage, with other outbreak mitigation strategies, are important to reduce COVID-19 transmission in congregate settings.