The COVID-19 outbreak inside the federal penitentiary in Lompoc continues to spread, with the number of infected inmates climbing to 45 on Friday and the number of sick staff increasing to 14. Ten of the inmates are hospitalized, with two in the ICU. One staff member is also hospitalized. The figures have essentially doubled since last Friday . With Santa Barbara County reporting 260 COVID-19 cases, the prison now accounts for 23 percent of the region’s total.
Bureau of Prison (BOP) staff and inmates across the country have criticized the BOP’s response to the numerous outbreaks at their facilities, calling the containment efforts too little too late. The agency initiated its most restrictive measures on March 31, which included keeping inmates in their "assigned cells or quarters" for 14 days and stopping all transfers between facilities.
In recent days, family members of Lompoc inmates have contacted the Santa Barbara Independent with their concerns. They have also provided emails and letters sent to them from inside the prison. The messages paint the picture of an institution overwhelmed and underprepared. “The BOP is not being transparent to the public about what is happening behind these walls,” one note reads.