In California, coronavirus cases inside prisons have once again skyrocketed with more than 4,000 active infections among prisoners — the highest number since the pandemic began. Altogether, over 22,000 prisoners have tested positive for COVID-19 in California, and at least 90 have died. Prisoners at San Quentin say authorities are preparing to transfer people to other prisons despite COVID-19 levels being at an all-time high. This is award-winning incarcerated journalist Juan Haines speaking to Democracy Now! from San Quentin.

Juan Moreno Haines: “The problem with the transfer is all California prisons are enclosed and unventilated. All throughout the state, our leaders are telling us to stay at home, don’t mingle with people that you don’t know, wear a mask inside — and which we’re all doing that inside of these buildings. But I know we can’t be operating on alternative facts when it comes to enclosed, unventilated buildings. We can’t have one set of rules for restaurants, gyms, nail salons, etc., and another for prisons.”