Life (Nov 2021)

Does In-Person Visiting Affect the Number of COVID-19 Cases in Prisons?

  • Lysandro Pinto Borges,
  • Aline Fagundes Martins,
  • Daniela Raguer Valadão de Souza,
  • José Melquiades de Rezende Neto,
  • Aryanne Araujo Santos,
  • Brenda Morais Oliveira,
  • Igor Leonardo Santos Matos,
  • Grazielly Bispo da Invenção,
  • Kezia Alves dos Santos,
  • Nicolas Alessandro Alves Souza,
  • Pamela Chaves de Jesus,
  • Cliomar Alves dos Santos,
  • Marco Aurélio de Oliveira Goes,
  • Mércia Simone Feitosa de Souza,
  • Ikaro Daniel de Carvalho Barreto,
  • Adriana Gibara Guimarães,
  • Lucindo José Quintans-Júnior

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/life11111184
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 11
p. 1184

Abstract

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Even with the current advances that have been made in regard to COVID-19, such as a better understanding of the disease and the steady growth in the number of vaccinated individuals, it remains a challenge for humanity. Dealing with the disease in prison settings has been particularly difficult. This study sought to discover whether in-person visiting affected the number of cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the penitentiaries in the state of Sergipe (Brazil). We conducted a two-phase study (when visiting was suspended and after it recommenced) in seven penitentiaries in Sergipe using immunochromatography and nasopharyngeal swab testing to evaluate whether visiting affects the number of COVID-19 cases. In the first phase (n = 778), 57.6% of inmates reported risk factors and 32.5% were positive for COVID-19 (18.9% IgM, 24.2% IgG, 1% antigen). In the second phase, 19.6% tested positive (13.9% IgM, 7.9% IgG, 0.2% antigen). The occurrence of positive cases of COVID-19 and positive results (IgM and IgG) were significantly higher in the first phase. In the second phase, 56.7% of inmates had received visits and 18.7% were positive for COVID-19 (14% IgM, 7% IgG). Among those who had not received visits, 20.9% tested positive (13.8% IgM, 9.2% IgG, 0.5% antigen). There was no significant difference in positive cases/results between inmates that had and had not received visits. These findings suggest that, under the conditions assessed, visiting does not seem to affect the number of COVID-19 cases in prisons and reinforces the importance of sanitary measures to control dissemination.

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