McGovern, Trahan warn about hundreds of coronavirus cases at Devens prison
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The FMC Devens prison facility
More than one-third of the inmate population at a federal prison in Devens have tested positive for coronavirus, with the area's two U.S. representatives requesting immediate action to stop the spread.
The letter, sent Tuesday by U.S. Reps. Lori Trahan and Jim McGovern, asks Federal Bureau of Prisons Director Michael Carvajal to address what they say are staffing shortages and hospitalizations contributing to the virus's spread. Both are Democrats, with Devens falling into Trahan's district.
FMC Devens has 268 active cases among inmates and 14 among staff, according to the Bureau of Prisons. That makes up 36% of the prisoner population of 742, and according to Trahan and McGovern, the bulk have been reported in just the past two weeks.
"Please permit on-site testing of staff, prohibit noncompliance with masking and other standard public health protocols, make full use of your authority under the law to transfer medically vulnerable individuals into home confinement, and continue appropriate use of compassionate release,” the lawmakers wrote.
The bureau said in a statement that it responds to correspondence from members of Congress directly, and detailed actions it has taken to keep facilities safe, including screening, testing and infection control measures. FMC Devens is not allowing any visitors.
"The efficacy of the BOP's mitigation strategies can be seen in the very low number of hospitalized inmates," the bureau said.
FMC Devens, the second largest federal prison in New England, isn't the only federal prison dealing with such a large percentage of its inmate population infected. Across the federal prison system, 40,151, or 33%, of inmates have tested positive, according to the Bureau of Prisons.
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