AUPE describes outbreak at Calgary prison a ‘nightmare’ as cases rise to 124

CALGARY (660 NEWS) — The union that represents jail workers at the Calgary Correctional Centre says “it’s a horror story inside the facility”, claiming poor-planning and inconsistency are to blame for the worsening COVID-19 outbreak.

As of Friday, 104 inmates and 20 staff have tested positive for the virus. Eight inmates who tested positive previously have been released and are isolating at home.

“It’s like they are working in a nightmare,” Bobby-Joe Borodey, vice-president of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) said.

“The spread of COVID is out of control and they are at a point now where they’re not quite sure what measures can be taken to resolve the issue.”

Borodey alleges there is no segregation or isolation of infected and uninfected inmates and staff were only instructed to start wearing full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Thursday.

“We are not far from a crisis situation and I’m sure those that are working in the facility would say that we’re at crisis level right now,” she said.

Earlier this week, an inmate housed at the centre told 660 NEWS they were living in unsanitary conditions during the outbreak and inmates who were waiting test results could interact with others who had no symptoms.

According to Borodey, there is no segregation or isolation of infected and uninfected inmates inside the correctional centre.

“The entire facility is considered to be all COVID. Everybody is mingling,” she said.

Alberta Health Services (AHS) ordered workers to only travel between their home and the correction centre and are not allowed out in public to make any other trips.

“That seems ridiculous. If you’re not healthy enough to leave your home, then why are you healthy enough to leave the worksite?” Borodey said.

AHS said in a statement the increase in inmate case numbers is from re-swabbing previously negative inmates on Oct. 27 as ordered by the Medical Officer of Health.

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