At the California Senate Public Safety Committee Meeting on July 7, Ralph Diaz, Secretary of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) listed measures the department has taken to prevent Coronavirus outbreaks.
• Suspended visiting statewide in March
• Halted all construction within institutions
• Health screening for all employees prior to entry
• Provided fact sheets and displayed posters educating about COVID-19
• Issued hand sanitizers
• Increased cleaning of high traffic areas
• Produced and issued cloth barrier masks and made wearing masks mandatory
• Reduced the population of dorms by utilizing gyms and empty housing units
• Suspended intake from county jails
• Expedited the release of over 3,500 prisoners
• Worked with Global Tel Link to provide free phone calls on specific days each month
• Mandatory staff testing at 12 institutions
• Set up a website to keep family members informed.