Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy are calling on Bureau of Prisons Director Michael Carvajal to answer questions about response to the COVID-19 outbreak at FCI Danbury.

There are currently over 60 inmates have contracted the disease, including one inmate who has died.  18-percent of the staff, 50 members have tested positive.  Their letter, a follow up to one dated April 13th, says without additional intervention, including greater testing capabilities and supplies, FCI Danbury will continue to be a hotspot for COVID-19, putting inmates, staff, and the greater community at risk. 

While FCI Danbury appears to be using isolation and quarantining units to some extent, they say almost every unit has at least one inmate who has tested positive for COVID-19.  Supply limitations mean only symptomatic inmates are being tested.  The Senators are calling for increased testing and temporary shelter for employees who would prefer to quarantine away from family. 

Their questions include: Does BOP policy require staff to be tested by their own primary care physician? Is it BOP policy that staff are only required to be tested once they are symptomatic? If so, why is BOP not allowing FCI Danbury to use its testing capabilities to test all staff? If FCI Danbury is relying on outside testing for its staff, how is the facility coordinating with Department of Public Health, the Danbury Department of Health and Human Services and local health care providers to ensure access to testing?