Carbajal, Feinstein, Harris send letter to Bureau of Prisons for assistance with Lompoc Prison coronavirus outbreak

LOMPOC, Calif. - Congressman Salud Carbajal and Senators Kamala Harris and Dianne Feinstein sent a letter to Federal Bureau of Prisons Director Michael Carvajal urging additional action to prevent the spread of the coronavirus at the Lompoc Prison.

The letter was sent as COVID-19 cases at the USP Lompoc continue to rise, with more than 69 inmates and 17 employees testing positive for the deadly disease. The Lompoc Prison has the most positive cases among inmates throughout the entire federal prison system.

In the letter, the congressman and senators ask for expedited approval of a mobile hospital and additional personal protective equipment (PPE) that the prison is requesting.

“It is critical that we provide a whole of government approach to ensure Santa Barbara County’s healthcare system is able to cope with this growing crisis and can contain the continued spread of COVID-19. Establishing this 50-bed mobile hospital with the appropriate resources, like ventilators and trained staff, in an expedient manner is essential to being able to achieve this goal,” the letter reads. 

A press release issued by Carbajal's office states that the outbreak remains a health threat for all in the facility and poses additional challenges of hospital capacity in the surrounding area.

The legislators say they are hoping for quick and decisive action to "curb the outbreak" at the prison.

To read the entire letter to Federal Bureau of Prisons Director Michael Carvajal, click here.