Prevention and control of COVID-19 in prisons and other places of detention

People deprived of their liberty, such as people in prisons and other places of detention, are more vulnerable to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. People in prison live in settings in close proximity and thus may act as a source of infection, amplification and spread of infectious diseases within and beyond prisons.

As the pandemic spreads, the response to COVID-19 in prisons and other places of detention becomes more challenging and requires a whole-of-society approach.  Efforts to control COVID-19 in the community are likely to fail if strong infection prevention and control measures, testing, treatment and care are not carried out in prisons and other places of detention as well.

Prison health is part of public health so that nobody is left behind. As part of public health response, WHO worked with partners to develop a set of new materials on preparedness, prevention and control of COVID-19 in prisons and other places of detention.