People who are incarcerated face a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 and we must ensure they have every measure for prevention and proper care at their disposal.

The spread of infectious diseases is accelerated in prisons due to jails tied to overcrowding, limited medical care and underlying chronic illnesses, among other reasons. Multiple state prisons have reported high inmate infections and deaths from COVID-19, and the spread within prisons is happening very quickly.

People who are incarcerated must receive the care that we are all being told we need in order to take care of ourselves.

First and foremost, we need to reduce the prison population by releasing the elderly, pretrial detainees, and those with pre-existing illnesses and courts to immediately suspend arresting and sentencing people for low-level crimes and technical violations like violating probation or parole.

Additionally, however, we must enact measures of necessary care to be made available to incarcerated folks including adequate testing, hospitalizing those who are seriously ill, and providing PPE and basic hygiene necessities.

It is the duty of Congress to ensure everyone is protected from COVID-19.

We must demand Congress ensure access to proper health and medical care and access to basic hygiene.

Sign the petition: Congress must ensure people who are incarcerated have access to care during the pandemic.