New York City Department of Correction warns of COVID-19 crisis at Rikers Island
CBSN
The New York City Department of Correction is warning public defender groups of "an emerging COVID-19 crisis at Rikers Island" as the state has recently seen a record uptick in cases. The facility has been criticized by officials for having inhumane conditions and reported multiple inmate deaths this year.
"The risks to the human beings in our custody are at a crisis level," commissioner Vincent Schiraldi said in a letter sent Tuesday and made public Wednesday.
According to the letter, 45% of those incarcerated at Rikers Island Jail complex have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and only 38% are fully vaccinated. On Tuesday, Schiraldi reported a 17% case positivity rate, which he said increased from the approximate 1% rate that was reported for the past several months.
