Page updated 11/12/2021
Visit coronavirus.utah.gov for statewide information.
See updates below in the "Latest Update" section for more information regarding outbreaks at the Utah State Prison in Draper and the Central Utah Correctional Facility in Gunnison.
Please contact our hotline at 801-545-5505.
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UTAH RESPONSE:
The Utah Department of Corrections (UDC) is working collaboratively with state partners — including the Lieutenant Governor’s task force — to address Coronavirus in Utah.
The safety of incarcerated individuals or those on supervision, along with our staff, volunteers and others who interact directly with our Department, is paramount.
As Coronavirus cases in Utah continue to increase, please know that we have outbreak strategies in place, which include prompt medical care and testing, and quarantining or isolating staff or incarcerated individuals. These updates will be shared via this webpage and social media.
For more information on the virus, and for state-related updates, please visit the website:
https://coronavirus.utah.gov/.
Learn more extensively about the many steps UDC has taken to ensure the safety and health of incarcerated individuals and those on supervision with the Department here: https://le.utah.gov/interim/2020/pdf/00002842.pdf
In March 2021, the Utah Health Emergency Response Team (UHERT) visited the Utah State Prison in Draper and the Central Utah Correctional Facility in Gunnison to review current COVID-19 operating procedures. You can see the report here: https://corrections.utah.gov/images/UHERT_Prison_Summary_2.pdf
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THE NUMBERS:
Total Confirmed Offender Cases to Date by Location
*State and county jail incarcerated individuals are tracked together and totals would need to be requested from each county jail.
**At this time, the University of Utah Hospital requires that any inmate being transported to a hospital for any kind of care to be tested for COVID-19.
**Starting May 20, 2020, prison intakes will be limited to Wednesdays. These will include intakes from all county jails and from Adult Probation & Parole. In direct consultation with local health officials, it was decided that these individuals will be in a cohort together for two weeks, and will each be tested for COVID-19 within 24-48 hours of arrival. Those who decline to be tested will be placed in a designated, separate area for two weeks. Please note that this increase in testing each week will reflect a spike in the overall number of inmates tested at the Utah State Prison in Draper and possibly a marginal increase at the Central Utah Correctional Facility in Gunnison.
Updated 11/11/2021
Total Confirmed Staff Cases: 529
Total Recovered Staff Cases: 511
Updated 10/29/2021
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LATEST UPDATES:
Individuals are being housed appropriately based on quarantine and isolation protocols. Please note that out-of-cell time may be greatly limited in areas most impacted by the recently confirmed cases.
UDC continues to work with state and local health officials regarding COVID-19 protocols. The Department continues to adhere to CDC protocols.
The vaccine has been offered to all incarcerated individuals at the Utah State Prison in Draper and the Central Utah Correctional Facility in Gunnison, including all intakes.
Incarcerated individuals who have not been vaccinated can request a vaccination by submitting an Inmate Care Request form (ICR), which is available in their housing units.
The Department has begun offering booster vaccines, and anticipates those offerings expanding to all incarcerated individuals over the coming weeks.
Vaccination rates are anywhere from 60 to 92 percent depending on the facility. For example, the Oquirrh 5 facility where many of our most medically fragile are housed is at a 92 percent vaccination rate..
As a reminder, the Department provides on-site medical care through the Clinical Services Bureau, which operates infirmaries at both the Utah State Prison and the Central Utah Correctional Facility.
The infirmaries offer comprehensive, on-site medical care where medical staff can treat or stabilize inmates needing health care. Mental health services are also available to incarcerated individuals as needed.
The Bureau also contracts with outside hospitals and clinics for treatment of seriously ill inmates who require advanced medical care or require evaluation or care from a specialist.
Any incarcerated individual who exhibits concerning symptoms outside the resources of our medical providers will receive care at a nearby hospital.
Our medical staff are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In areas of an outbreak our medical staff have an active presence on those units at least twice a day to check-in with incarcerated individuals.
Individuals who are already medically compromised (outside of COVID-19), have standardly had a greater medical presence and are actively monitored.
Any incarcerated individual that communicates any discomfort will be given access to medications required or any other treatment required.
As a reminder, the only way to share an incarcerated individual's medical information with a family member is through an
Authorization to Formally Discuss Health Information Form. Incarcerated individuals can request this form from their housing officer or case manager.
We will continue to provide updates as information becomes available.
If you have additional questions, please contact the Department’s COVID-19 Hotline at 801-545-5505 or email corrections@utah.gov.
11/09/2021
Over the weekend, 12 incarcerated individuals tested positive for COVID-19 at the Wasatch Facility. The facility has been placed on quarantine and testing continues.
Many of the incarcerated individuals working in culinary are currently housed in the Wasatch Facility, which has impacted food services. Each incarcerated individual is still receiving three meals per day with no meals skipped for any individual.
While the menu will likely be affected over the coming days, staff are ensuring that various food items are added to meals to ensure proper nutrition. The operations team has identified a plan to accommodate these changes.
Once the standard individuals working in culinary are cleared from quarantine, then food operations will return to normal.
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COMMUNICATIONS TO INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS:
October 2020 Newsletter
COVID-19 Initial Guidance April 2020