COVID-19 (Coronavirus): Information for stakeholders

 

Queensland Corrective Services (QCS) is committed to keeping safe our corrective services facilities, our workforce and those in our care. During the challenging times of COVID-19, it remains one of our top priorities to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission wherever we can.

Visitors to a corrective services facility are not required to provide evidence of their COVID-19 vaccination status. Visitors include:

  • Personal visitors;
  • Accredited visitors;
  • Prescribed persons;
  • Religious visitors;
  • Official visitors;
  • Cultural visitors eg. Elders;
  • External stakeholders (ie. Legal practitioners, law clerks; commercial visitors);
  • Professional visitors, including external service providers;
  • Government visitors.

 

You cannot visit a corrective services facility if you:

  • have COVID-19;
  • have COVID-19 symptoms;
  • diagnosed with COVID-19 and a full 7 days has not passed since the COVID-19 test date;
  • have been close household contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19 and a full 5 days has not passed since the COVID-19 test date (unless in exceptional or compassionate circumstances); and
  • are subject to quarantine direction issued by Queensland Health.

 

QCS operations and responding to COVID-19

 

To manage the spread of COVID-19 and the adverse health impacts on prisoners and the QCS workforce, our Custodial Operations and Community Corrections Pandemic Response Planning Tools allow us to quickly and proportionally respond to any community outbreaks through a staged approach to restrictions, which may vary as required at any given time across different centres and community corrections offices. QCS strategies continue to be multifaceted, thoughtful, decisive, and responsive.

 

How are correctional centres responding to COVID-19?

COVID-19 policy and planning decisions, including the use of the optional controls in the below tool, are informed by Queensland Health advice, staff consultation and the Communicable Diseases Network Australia (CDNA) Guidelines for COVID-19 outbreaks in correctional centres and detention facilities.

The three-level Custodial Operations Pandemic Response Planning Tool provides flexibility for Chief Superintendents to apply and remove some controls as required by the nature and circumstances of any outbreak affecting their centre.

Baseline Level:  Low level of health and operational impacts

Even with low levels of health and operational impacts from COVID-19, there will be an ongoing need for basic infection prevention controls including hand and respiratory hygiene, physical distancing, screening and testing and the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in accordance with QCS policy.

Standard Pandemic Response:  Low/moderate level of health and operational impacts

Offers a series of optional controls that, based on the nature and circumstances of the outbreak, Chief Superintendents can apply in their correctional centre to suppress the spread of COVID-19 or support the safe and secure management of their centre.

Elevated Pandemic Response: High level of health and operational impacts

Offers a series of optional controls that, based on the nature and circumstances of the outbreak, an Assistant Commissioner may approve their use within the correctional centre to suppress the spread of COVID-19 or support the safe and secure management of the centre.

 

 

How are Community Corrections managing offenders during COVID-19?

QCS is committed to reducing the risk of COVID-19 to employees and people under community supervision. Steps have been taken to reduce the impact of COVID-19, including to implement standard precautions of social distancing, careful cleaning of surfaces, hand hygiene practices, and coughing and sneezing etiquette.

The three-level Community Corrections Pandemic Response Planning Tool allow Community Corrections to move up or down through the stages, and offices across the state may be in different stages depending on health and operational impacts.

Stage 1 Pandemic Response:  Low level of health and operational impacts

Adopt social distancing principles, undertake screening of offenders and adjust operational activities on a case-by-case basis to reduce likelihood of infection.

Stage 2 Pandemic Response:  Moderate level of health and operational impacts

Staff to wear surgical face masks when conducting in person engagement with offenders and external services. Increased use of videoconferencing to facilitate reporting where appropriate and reduce exposure.

Stage 3 Pandemic Response:  High level of health and operational impacts

Cease direct employee and offender contact except to manage high risk persons or situations. Maintain service delivery via remote operations.

 

 

What stage are correctional centres and community corrections currently implementing?

 

Correctional Centres

Revised 6 September 2023

In line with the three-level Custodial Operations Pandemic Response Planning Tool, all correctional centres across Queensland are operating under the Baseline Pandemic Response.

 

Community Corrections

Revised 6 September 2023

In line with the three-level Community Corrections Pandemic Response Planning Tool, all Community Corrections offices across Queensland are operating under the Stage 1 Pandemic Response.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Custodial Operations

 

What are the visitor screening requirements prior to entry to a corrective services facility?

Revised 6 September 2023 

Visitor screening must be conducted prior to entry to a corrective services facility. For high security correctional centres this will be undertaken at the designated visitor processing area. For low custody correctional centres, a designated area will be identified to allow for visitor screening.

The screening must include:

  • a temperature check; and
  • each visitor to be asked the screening questions to assess the COVID-19 risks.

 

Unless an exception applies, visitors will be refused entry into the correctional centre:

  • those with temperature of greater than 37.5 degrees Celsius;
  • those with flu-like symptoms (e.g. cough, fever, sore throat, runny nose, shortness of breath, chills, loss of sense of smell or taste);
  • those who were diagnosed with COVID-19 and a full 7 days has not passed since the COVID-19 test date;
  • those who have been close household contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19 and a full 5 days has not passed since the COVID-19 test date; and
  • those that are subject to quarantine direction issued by Queensland Health.

 

What is the mask wearing requirements in a corrective services facility?

Revised 6 September 2023 

A visitor who has been a diagnosed person must wear a face mask for 7 full days after their period of exclusion at all times whilst in a corrective services facility.

A visitor who has been a close household contact must wear a face mask for 7 full days after their period of exclusion at all times whilst in a corrective services facility.

Baseline Pandemic Response

Visitors are generally not required to wear a face mask. A visitor may be directed to wear a face mask where the visitor is displaying cold or flu like symptoms.

Prisoners are not required to wear a face mask during the visit, unless directed.

Standard Pandemic Response

Visitors are to wear a face mask when entering or leaving the corrective services facility. The visitor may remove their face mask during the visit session, which the visitor remains seated. The face mask must be worn at all other times.

Prisoners are not required to wear a face mask during the visit, unless directed.

Elevated Pandemic Response

Visitors are to wear a face mask at all times when in a corrective services facility unless an exemption applies.

Prisoners are to wear a face mask during the visit.

 

What precautions are in place at point of entry for prisoners?

Revised 6 September 2023

To reduce transmission of COVID-19 in the custodial environment prisoners who are a new admission to the corrective services facility will be subject to:

  • a temperature check and health checks as determined by Queensland Health staff;
  • review of their prisoner vaccination status by Queensland Health staff; and
  • offer of COVID-19 vaccination if applicable.


Baseline and Standard Pandemic Response

Queensland Health will provide advice regarding the isolation arrangements that should be in place for prisoners.

Elevated Pandemic Response

All prisoners received during an Elevated Pandemic Response will be subject to:

  • isolation for an initial period of 7 days in single cell accommodation insofar as practicable, subject to a determination of Queensland Health if isolation is to be extended for medical reasons;
  • temperature checks and health checks as determined by Queensland Health staff; and
  • COVID-19 testing as advised by Queensland Health.

 

What other restrictions on prisoner movements are in place?

Revised 6 September 2023

Prisoners who are not subject to isolation or displaying symptoms of COVID-19 may be considered for movement or transfer to another corrective services facility, in accordance with operational requirements.

Prisoners subject to isolation should stay at their location until they are no longer considered to be a COVID-19 positive prisoner, or otherwise at the end of their period of isolation. Prisoners who are subject to an isolation requirement should not be moved unless there is an operational necessity or an emergency.

The movement and transfer of prisoners isolated under QCS Managing Prisoner Receptions, Transfers, Discharges and Releases during COVID-19 Operations policy is to be restricted, however transfers to other facilities, movements to accommodation within facilities, placement transfers, court or medical appointments may occur under certain circumstances and in consultation with the responsible person. These could include the Assistant Commissioner, Chief Superintendent, and/or Superintendent.

 

How are prisoners at risk of severe illness from COVID-19 managed?

Revised 6 September 2023

A prisoner at risk of severe illness from COVID-19 is a prisoner accommodated within a corrective services facility who falls within the category of people identified in the statement published by the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC)  as being at, or likely to be at, a higher risk or serious illness if infected with COVID-19.

People considered at higher risk of severe illness include:

  • unvaccinated;
  • aged 70 years and over;
  • have had an organ transplant and are on immune suppressive therapy;
  • undertaking immune suppressive therapy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, anti-cancer therapy;
  • have had a bone marrow transplant; and
  • have been diagnosed with blood cancer, e.g. leukaemia, lymphoma or myelodysplastic syndrome; non-haematological cancer (within the last 5 years); childhood cancer; chronic inflammatory condition requiring medical treatment; primary or acquired immunodeficiency, heart disease, poorly controlled blood pressure, chronic renal failure, chronic lunch disease, diabetes, and chronic liver disease.

 

First Nation’s peoples are considered to be at higher risk in public health emergencies. Unvaccinated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples may be at increased risk of severe disease and should be considered a priority population when assessing potential risk of COVID-19.

Chronic medical conditions, and conditions which give rise to immunosuppression, are listed and updated by the Department of Health.

Prisoners who are confirmed by Queensland Health as at risk of severe illness from COVID-19 will be subject to medical segregation in a dedicated single cell accommodation and/or unit to reduce the level of close contact with the broader prisoner population. The prisoner is not to be restricted to their cell.

Prisoners who meet the criteria for medical segregation will be grouped together in accommodation areas to minimise their contact with the broader prisoner and staffing population, where operationally viable.

These prisoners are not restricted to their cell, but instead will be engaged and managed in accordance with any requirements established by Queensland Health.

 

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