cdc.gov/coronavirus

CDC Guidance on Management of COVID-19 in 

Correctional and Detention Facilities

This interim guidance is based on what is currently 

known about the transmission and severity of 

coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as of March 30, 

2020.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

(CDC) will update this guidance as needed and as 

additional information becomes available. Please check 

the CDC website periodically for updated interim 

guidance.
Finding the CDC guidance 

for corrections

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-

ncov/community/correction-detention/guidancecorrectional-detention.html
What types of facilities does the guidance cover?

Detention 

Centers Prisons Jails

Size

Onsite healthcare capacity
Navigating the CDC Guidance Document

PREPARE

Communications

Personnel Practices

Operations

Supplies

1

PREVENT

Hygiene

Cleaning

Screening for Symptoms

Social Distancing

2

MANAGE

Medical Isolation

Quarantine

Infection Control

Clinical Care

3

Make sure to look at recommendations from all phases, regardless of 

whether you have cases
PREPARE

COMMUNICATE with local public health

IDENTIFY medical isolation and quarantine spaces 

ahead of time

PLAN for staff absences and encourage sick 

employees to stay home

POST information around the facility on COVID-19 

symptoms and hygiene

CHECK supply stocks (cleaning supplies, 

hand washing supplies, medical supplies, PPE)
Communications Resources

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/communication/factsheets.html
A quick note on...SOAP

Make sure it is:

• Free

• Accessible

• Restocked continually

• Not irritating to skin

Alcohol-based hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol) is a good alternative when soap & water 

aren’t available – consider loosening restrictions where feasible
PREVENT

RAMP UP cleaning schedule & hand hygiene reminders

LIMIT transfers between facilities

SCREEN everyone coming in for symptoms 

(new intakes, staff, visitors)

IMPLEMENT social distancing

MAKE SURE everyone knows what to do if they have 

symptoms

ENCOURAGE non-contact visits or consider suspending 

visitation
Screening

1. Today or in the past 24 hours, have you had any of 

the following symptoms? 

• Fever, felt feverish, or had chills? 

• Cough? 

• Difficulty breathing? 

2. In the past 14 days, have you had contact with a 

person known to be infected with coronavirus 

(COVID-19)? 

3. Take the person’s temperature

• New intakes – AT SALLYPORT

• Incarcerated people leaving the facility

• Staff – daily on entry

• Visitors
Social Distancing

• Ideally 6 feet between people 

(sick or not)

• Decrease frequency of contact 

Reduces risk of 

spreading disease
Social Distancing Examples for Corrections

Common areas

• Enforce increased space between people in

• holding cells

• lines

• waiting areas such as intake

(e.g., remove every other chair in a waiting 

area) 

Recreation

• Choose spaces where people can spread out 

• Stagger time in recreation spaces 

• Assign each housing unit a dedicated 

recreation space to avoid mixing and crosscontamination

Meals 

• Stagger meals 

• Rearrange seating in the dining hall 

(e.g., remove every other chair and use only 

one side of the table) 

• Provide meals inside housing units or cells 

Group activities

• Limit their size

• Increase space between people

• Suspend group programs where people will 

be in closer contact than in their housing 

environment 

• Choose outdoor areas or other areas where 

people can spread out 

Housing

• Reassign bunks to provide more space 

between people

• Sleep head to foot

• Minimize mixing of people from different 

housing areas 

Medical

• Designate a room near each housing unit to 

evaluate people with COVID-19 symptoms

• Stagger sick call

• Designate a room near the intake area to 

evaluate new entrants who are flagged by 

the intake screening process

NOT one-size-fits-all...each facility will need to choose what works for them

COMMUNICATE the reasons for social distancing
MANAGE

SUSPEND all non-medical transfers

INTEGRATE screening into release planning

COORDINATE with public health

MASK & MEDICALLY ISOLATE symptomatic people

IDENTIFY & QUARANTINE close contacts

WEAR recommended PPE

PROVIDE clinical care or transfer for care

COMMUNICATE clearly & often
MEDICAL ISOLATION QUARANTINE

Who: Symptomatic people

What: MASK & separate from others

When: Immediately once symptoms

appear

Where: Ideally, an individual cell

Why: Prevent exposing others

Evaluate, test if needed

Give care

How long: It’s complicated

(More on next slide)

Who: Close contacts of a known or

suspected case (staff or incarcerated)

What: Separate from others

Monitor for symptoms

When: Once identified as a close contact

Where: Ideally, an individual cell

(if incarcerated)

At home (if staff)

Why: Prevent exposing others if infected

How long: 14 days
Medical 

Isolation

MASK for source control

Separate from others (individually if possible) & restrict 

movement

Provide with tissues, trash can, and hand hygiene supplies

Notify public health

Clean & disinfect thoroughly

Evaluate and test, if indicated

Give care (or transfer for care)

Isolate anyone with 

symptoms of COVID-19
Options for 

Medical Isolation

when multiple people need 

to be isolated due to 

COVID-19

• Single cells with solid walls & solid door

• Single cells with solid walls

IDEAL: SEPARATELY

• Large, well-ventilated cell with solid walls & solid door

• Large, well-ventilated cell with solid walls

• Single, barred cells (ideally with empty cell between)

• Multi-person, barred cells (ideally with empty cell between)

NEXT BEST: AS A COHORT – use social distancing

• Transfer to a facility with isolation space

(LAST RESORT due to possibility of introducing COVID-19 to 

another facility)

LAST RESORT: TRANSFER
CAUTIONS for Cohorting COVID-19 Cases

DO NOT COHORT CONFIRMED CASES WITH 

SUSPECTED CASES

DO NOT COHORT CASES WITH UNDIAGNOSED 

RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS

PRIORITIZE SINGLE CELLS FOR PEOPLE 

AT HIGHER RISK OF SEVERE ILLNESS 

FROM COVID-19

USE SOCIAL DISTANCING AS 

MUCH AS POSSIBLE

• Older adults

• People with serious underlying 

medical conditions
When Does Medical Isolation End?

• Fever-free for ≥72 hours (without fever reducing medications) AND

• Respiratory symptoms have improved AND

• Tested negative in ≥2 consecutive respiratory specimens collected ≥24 hours apart

Test-based strategy

• Fever-free for ≥72 hours (without fever reducing medications) AND

• Respiratory symptoms have improved AND

• At least 7 days have passed since the first symptoms appeared

Symptom-based strategy

• At least 7 days have passed since the first positive COVID-19 test AND

• The person has had no subsequent illness

If the person had a positive test but never had symptoms
Quarantine

Identify close contacts

Mask as source control, if PPE stocks allow

Separate from others (ideally individually) & restrict movement

Monitor symptoms 2x per day

If symptoms develop, immediately mask and medically isolate

If cohorting and another case develops, 14-day clock restarts

Return to previous housing and lift movement restrictions after 

14 days if no symptoms develop

A close contact is anyone who:

• Has been within 6 feet of a 

confirmed/suspected case for 

a prolonged period of time

OR

• Has had contact with 

infectious secretions from a 

confirmed/suspected case 

(e.g., coughed on)
Options for 

Quarantine

when multiple close 

contacts of a COVID-19 case 

need to be quarantined

• Single cells with solid walls & solid door

• Single cells with solid walls

IDEAL: SEPARATELY

• Large, well-ventilated cell with solid walls & solid door

• Large, well-ventilated cell with solid walls

• Single, barred cells (ideally with empty cell between)

• Multi-person, barred cells (ideally with empty cell between)

• If a whole housing unit has been exposed: quarantine in 

place, with no movement outside the unit

NEXT BEST: AS A COHORT – use social distancing

• Transfer to a facility with quarantine space

(LAST RESORT due to possibility of introducing COVID-19 to 

another facility)

LAST RESORT: TRANSFER
CAUTIONS for Cohorting Close Contacts of 

COVID-19 Cases

MONITOR SYMPTOMS CLOSELY, AND IMMEDIATELY 

PLACE SYMPTOMATIC PEOPLE UNDER MEDICAL 

ISOLATION TO PREVENT FURTHER SPREAD

(14-DAY CLOCK RESTARTS)

PRIORITIZE SINGLE CELLS FOR PEOPLE AT 

HIGHER RISK OF SEVERE ILLNESS FROM 

COVID-19

DO NOT ADD PEOPLE TO AN EXISTING 

QUARANTINE COHORT

DO NOT MIX PEOPLE QUARANTINED 

DUE TO EXPOSURE WITH PEOPLE 

• Older adults UNDER ROUTINE INTAKE QUARANTINE

• People with serious underlying 

medical conditions
Clinical Care for 

Patients with COVID-19

• Refer to full CDC guidance at 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html:

• Evaluating and Testing Persons for Coronavirus Disease 2019 

(COVID-19)

• CDC Interim Clinical Guidance for Management of Patients with 

Confirmed Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) 

• Evaluate people for COVID-19 at the first sign of symptoms

• Include assessment of high risk status

• Test for other causes of respiratory illness 

(e.g., influenza)

• Have a plan in place to safely transport cases to a local 

hospital if they need care beyond what the facility can 

provide
Infection Control & PPE

• Refer to full CDC guidance at 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html:

• CDC Interim Infection Prevention and Control 

Recommendations for Patients with Suspected or 

Confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in 

Healthcare Settings

• NOTE: language is not specific for correctional settings –

implement as fully as able, may need to adapt

• Assess PPE needs based on the type of contact a person has 

with a confirmed/suspected COVID-19 case (see full guidance 

document and accompanying PPE table – details on next 2 

slides)

• Minimize contact with a symptomatic person until that 

person is wearing a mask (6 feet if possible)

• Clean duty belt, gear, clothing that comes into contact with a 

symptomatic person

• Wash hands thoroughly after any contact
Infection Control & PPE

• Nationwide shortages are expected for all PPE 

categories:

• Refer to CDC’s guidance on optimizing PPE supplies:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/ppestrategy/index.html

Some strategies include:

• N95 respirators: Face masks are an acceptable 

alternative to N95 respirators when supplies are limited. 

N95s should be prioritized for procedures expected to 

generate infectious aerosols.

• Face masks: Extended use for multiple patients; use 

beyond shelf life; reuse; prioritize for splashes/sprays; 

increase ventilation; homemade masks

• Eye protection: Choose reusable options if available; use 

beyond shelf life; extended use for multiple patients; 

clean disposable units; prioritize for splashes/sprays

• Gowns: Cloth/reusable options; use beyond shelf life; 

use gowns meeting international standards; prioritize for 

splashes/sprays/high-contact; other garments
Recommended PPE

PPE recommended for staff and 

incarcerated people depends on the 

level of contact they have with 

COVID-19 cases and/or 

contaminated materials

2

nd to last page of guidance 

document

NOTE: Change to table 

forthcoming – staff performing 

temperature checks do NOT 

need to wear gowns/coveralls.

-

* If a facility chooses to routinely quarantine all new intakes (without symptoms or known exposure to a COVID-19 

case) before integrating into the facility’s general population, face masks are not necessary.

**A NIOSH-approved N95 is preferred. However, based on local and regional situational analysis of PPE supplies, face 

masks can be used as an alternative when the supply chain of respirators cannot meet the demand. During this time, 

available respirators should be prioritized for procedures that are likely to generate respiratory aerosols, which would 

pose the highest exposure risk to staff.
Q & A