There have been outbreaks of COVID-19 reported in prisons and jails around the world, with the housing density and population turnover of many prisons contributing to an increased risk of contracting the virus compared to the general population. Prison crowding and lack of sanitation measures contribute to the risk of contracting diseases in prisons and jails. As a mitigation measure, several jurisdictions have released prisoners to reduce density and attempt to reduce the spread of the illness. There have also been protests among prisoners, riots and prison breaks in multiple countries in response to prisoner anger over their risk of contracting illness in prison conditions. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, health services within prisons had issues providing adequate care for incarcerated people, and this has only been exacerbated by the impacts of COVID-19. Minority groups within the prison system have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hazard controls

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prevention and management strategies should be implemented in correctional and detention facilities to reduce the burden of COVID-19. Some prevention strategies include symptom screening at entrances, avoiding overcrowding, staggering meal and recreation times, face coverings, signage, and training. It recommends that info-sharing systems be developed to manage confirmed and suspected cases, isolate those potentially infected, and offer flexible sick leave policies for staff members.

Transition to the Endemic Phase (2023-2025) Jurisdictions have transitioned from emergency COVID-19 protocols to permanent health management.

Vaccination Integration By 2024, COVID-19 vaccination in correctional facilities transitioned from emergency mass-immunization campaigns to a routine clinical service. Many jurisdictions integrated COVID-19 boosters into standard intake protocols and annual preventive health schedules, similar to influenza vaccinations. Research in US state prisons estimated an average incarcerated vaccination rate of approximately 54% as of early 2025.

Normalization of Care The "normalization' of COVID-19 management has seen the removal of most universal masking and social distancing mandates, which were deemed impractical for long-term enforcement in carceral environments. Facilities have largely shifted from broad lockdowns to symptomatic testing the use of dedicated intake housing to screen for various infectious diseases simultaneously.

Virtual Visitation Initially adopted as a temporary measure during total facility lockdowns, virtual visitation has become a permanent feature of modern prison systems. Many prisons have maintained video-conferencing kiosks as a supplement to, and in some cases, a partial replacement for, in-person visits.

By country (2020-2022)

Afghanistan

The Afghan government released 10,000 prisoners on March 26, 2020. They were mostly women, young people, the critically ill, and inmates over 55 years of age.Afghanistan to release up to 10,000 prisoners to slow coronavirus spread AFP, 26 March 2020

Australia

On March 16, 2020, the Australian government declared that COVID-19 was a public health emergency. It also cancelled all visits to the Alexander Maconochie prison starting on March 23. ACT Corrective Services commissioner Jon Peach stated that, as a result, there would be "increased access to telephones" for prisoners to keep in touch with their families.

Bahrain In May 2021, Bahrain reported a spike in its daily cases of COVID-19 to approximately 3000. By June 2021, Bahrain was reported to have been experiencing a third wave of the coronavirus pandemic, said to be 'its biggest wave of infections' so far. Despite the uncontrolled spread of the virus, the Bahraini government kept political prisoners imprisoned in the allegedly overcrowded, notorious Jau prison. Sadeq AbdAli AlAsfoor, one of the prisoners was arrested in 2012 at the age of 20 and has since been inside the prison, was subjected to torture and lack of medical care or healthy meals.

Belarus

As prisons filled with 30,000 protesters following the 2020 Belarusian presidential election, virus cases in prisons also increased. Cells were overcrowded, lacked ventilation, and lacked basic amenities and medical treatment. Guards were accused of deliberately allowing the virus to run lose for political reasons. Authorities have not released the number of prisoners with COVID-19, but rights activists say that thousands of protesters tested positive after they were detained.

Brazil

Hundreds of prisoners, who work outside the prison during the day, escaped from four prisons in São Paulo state after visitors were restricted and Easter furloughs were cancelled due to health concerns.

China

The virus spread to at least four prisons in China.

Colombia

On March 22, 2020, 23 prisoners were killed and 83 injured during a prison riot in La Modelo in Bogota, which erupted over fears over the spreading of COVID-19 through prison walls. Prisoners across the country have been protesting against the poor health services ever since the outbreak of COVID-19.

The government planned to release about 10,000 prisoners on the weekend of 4–5 April 2020. The release did not apply to individuals who have been convicted of sexual offenses against minors, corruption, or crimes against humanity.Colombia prepares a massive release of prisoners for the advance of the coronavirus by Jorge Cantillo, Infobae, retrieved 3 April 2020

Czech Republic

Due to the coronavirus, on March 13, the Czech government passed Resolution No. 204/2020 Coll, which banned family members from visiting relatives in prisons and jails. Defense attorneys were exempted from the bans.

El Salvador

Following an outbreak of alleged gang violence in late April 2020 that killed 77 people, President Nayib Bukele imposed a lockdown on imprisoned gang members from 26 April. As part of the crackdown, gang members were confined in crowded cells for 23 hours a day; cells were barricaded with plywood and metal sheets to block sunlight; mobile and wifi signals were blocked, and rival gang members were mixed together. Human Rights Watch Americas director José Miguel Vivanco condemned the treatment of prisoners as humiliating, degrading and a threat to health amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

Ethiopia

On March 25, 2020, 4,011 prisoners were granted a pardon by the Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This pardon only applied to prisoners convicted of minor crimes who were serving sentences of up to three years, and those who were about to be released.

France

On March 16, 2020, a detainee died of COVID-19 in the Fresnes prison. On March 22, 2020, a mutiny erupted in the Uzerche Detention Center, where 250 inmates had to be evacuated because their cells were unusable.

Iran

On March 3, 2020, more than 54,000 prisoners were released temporarily to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Prisoners rioted in southern Iran in prisons such as Aligudarz, Hamedan, and Tabriz, with some prisoners escaping. On March 27, 2020, 70 inmates escaped Saqqez Prison in the Kurdistan province. 100,000 prisoners were released as a measure to contain the pandemic, but an estimated 50,000 people remained in prison, including violent offenders, dual nationals and others with Western ties.Prisoners riot in Iran; Netanyahu goes into self-quarantine By AMIR VAHDAT and ARON HELLER, Associated Press, 30 March 2020

Ireland

On 20 March 2020, Minister for Justice Charles Flanagan announced the temporary release of up to 200 prisoners to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading through the country's jails. Prisoners were reported to be willing to work with prison officers to prevent their exposure to the virus. Social distancing measures in prisons included visible marks, the closing of gyms and recreation halls, inmates being fed in smaller groups and visits from outside disallowed. Deep cleaning occurred, the plates and mugs were replaced with hot food in single use cardboard containers. Another consequence of the virus was that less drugs found their way into the system. On 10 June, it was announced that not a single prisoner among the country's prison population of 3,705 had tested positive for COVID-19. On 22 August 2020, a 23-year-old woman in Dóchas Centre became the first prisoner in Ireland to test positive for COVID-19. On 30 October, the Irish Prison Service confirmed an outbreak of COVID-19 at the Midlands Prison after five inmates tested positive for COVID-19.

Italy

An investigation was opened after six convicts died in the Sant'Anna prison of Modena from overdoses. Other events that prompted the investigation included riots in San Vittore prison and in the La Dogaia prison in Prato.

Eighty detainees escaped from Foggia's prison amid the chaos in prisons sparked by the government's new restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Japan The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) decided that only lawyers are allowed to visit prisoners in prisons and detention houses in seven prefectures (Tokyo, Chiba, Saitama, Kanagawa, Osaka, Hyogo and Fukuoka), which are issued emergency declaration initially, from April 8 to May 6. MOJ explained that the legal basis of the measure is the . The does not have provisions for visiting restriction purpose of not spreading infectious diseases, therefore some lawyers criticized this decision. On April 20, 2020, MOJ extended this measure to prisons and detention houses in six prefectures (Hokkaido, Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Gifu, Aichi and Kyoto), which are designated as from April 20 to May 6. On April 27, , facility that accommodates foreigners have been pronounced deportation, are also subject of visiting restriction.

The first case in Japan's penal detention facilities was detected at Osaka Detention House. As of April 28, there were 8 officers of Osaka Detention House, 1 officer of , and 1 defendant of Tokyo Detention House confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Mexico

A riot in a migrant detention center in Tenosique, Tabasco, Mexico, left a Guatemalan man dead and four people injured on March 31, 2020. The detainees were concerned about a possible COVID-19 outbreak.Riot in Tabasco immigration station leaves one dead and four wounded EFE/Informador, 1 April 2020

Mexico City began to sanitize its 13 penitentiaries and four detention centers on April 4, 2020. The number of visitors allowed was cut in half. Staff, providers, and inmates were tested for COVID-19. The inmates were to be given measles shots as the city was also experiencing an outbreak of measles.CDMX penalties are sanitized and visits are reduced due to coronavirus by Israel Zamarrón, El Sol de México, 4 April 2020

Pakistan The first case of COVID-19 in Pakistan's prisons was detected on March 24, 2020, in Camp Jail, Lahore. By April 14, 2020, 59 more cases were reported in the same jail, along with 14 in Sialkot Jail, seven in Gujranwala and nine in DG Khan Jail, taking Punjab province's total to 89. One case in Quetta district jail was reported on April 6, 2020.

Philippines

Over 20,000 prisoners from over 400 jail facilities were released to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in prisons in the Philippines.

Somaliland

President Muse Bihi Abdi pardoned 574 prisoners and ordered them released to control the spread of the virus.

Syria

ISIL militants in the Hassakeh province in eastern Syria rioted, and four escaped from prison.IS militants riot in eastern Syria prison, some escape By The Associated Press/ABC News, 30 March 2020

Thailand