I'm curious if these specific diseases actually make them more susceptible to COVID or not but this is fact.
- Over half of state prisoners and up to 90% of jail detainees suffer from drug dependence.
- Hepatitis C is nine to 10 times more prevalent in correctional facilities than in communities.
- Chronic health conditions, such as asthma and hypertension, and mental health disorders also affect prisoner populations at rates that far exceed their prevalence in the general population.
- About 40% of all inmates are estimated to have at least one chronic health condition. With a few exceptions, nearly all chronic health conditions are more prevalent among inmates than in the general population. [1]
With that said, the average age is much younger than the general population [2]. Age is by far the biggest factor in outcomes, followed by co-morbidities.
In addition, concentrated and extended exposure to the virus, like what you see in prisons where it is impossible to maintain distance between yourself and other inmates during meals and in bed, is known to affect people of all ages. Look at the effects the virus has had on medical professionals who do not have access to PPE—eg Usama Riaz.
