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503: Inside the COVID unit at the world's largest women's prison

October 12, 2020
The Central California Women’s Facility allegedly quarantined prisoners with COVID-19 with those who never tested positive for the virus. "...it is only a matter of time before the COVID is spread, infecting every single woman here."
· 11 Oct 2020

The Central California Women's Facility, the largest women's prison in the world, allegedly quarantined COVID-positive and negative people together. Hear from those who lived in building 503. New from and :

Inside the COVID unit at the world’s largest women’s prison
The Central California Women’s Facility quarantined prisoners with COVID-19 with those who never tested positive for the virus.
19thnews.org
3 replies 84 retweets 97 likes
· 11 Oct 2020

2/ The coronavirus has rocked prisons nationwide. At the Central California Women's Facility (CCWF), building 503 is the quarantine unit that was created when officials began to safeguard against the coronavirus. It has 100 beds for isolation.

1 reply 1 retweet 4 likes
· 11 Oct 2020

3/ Kandice Ortega is one of the nine people The 19th interviewed who are incarcerated at CCWF. She was moved to 503 after her roommate tested positive for COVID in mid-July, however, she said she never tested positive for the coronavirus.

Inside the COVID unit at the world’s largest women’s prison
The Central California Women’s Facility quarantined prisoners with COVID-19 with those who never tested positive for the virus.
19thnews.org
1 reply 1 retweet 1 like
· 11 Oct 2020

4/ Like many, Ortega worried about getting COVID-19. But unlike much of the country, Ortega had few options to limit her exposure. After multiple negative COVID tests, she said she remained in the quarantine unit for weeks. Would she inevitably be infected too?

1 reply 2 retweets 3 likes
· 11 Oct 2020

5/ Nearly half of the people The 19th interviewed live with pre-existing conditions that put them at heightened risk for complications of COVID-19. All described dirty, unsafe conditions that left them wondering if their lives will end in prison.

Inside the COVID unit at the world’s largest women’s prison
The Central California Women’s Facility quarantined prisoners with COVID-19 with those who never tested positive for the virus.
19thnews.org
1 reply 1 retweet 2 likes
· 11 Oct 2020

6/ When she was in 503, Laura Purviance said she spent all but two hours of the day in her cell — quarantine felt similar to solitary confinement, she told The 19th. Purviance claimed she was kept in 503 despite never receiving a COVID-19 test.

Inside the COVID unit at the world’s largest women’s prison
The Central California Women’s Facility quarantined prisoners with COVID-19 with those who never tested positive for the virus.
19thnews.org
1 reply 1 retweet 1 like
· 11 Oct 2020

7/ While there, Purviance said she noticed leaking pipes and partially collapsed sections of the ceiling, which she believed is because of a ventilation system in disrepair. In the hot prison, people were not wearing their masks appropriately, she said.

Inside the COVID unit at the world’s largest women’s prison
The Central California Women’s Facility quarantined prisoners with COVID-19 with those who never tested positive for the virus.
19thnews.org
1 reply 1 retweet 1 like
· 11 Oct 2020

8/ In mid-August, after The 19th submitted questions to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), those incarcerated inside CCWF said administrators began sending people who had tested negative back to their assigned housing.

Inside the COVID unit at the world’s largest women’s prison
The Central California Women’s Facility quarantined prisoners with COVID-19 with those who never tested positive for the virus.
19thnews.org
1 reply 1 retweet 3 likes
· 11 Oct 2020

9/ Lt. Gene Norman, a public information officer for the department, denied that people who had negative COVID tests were ever housed among sick people. CDCR also maintains that it is following safety protocols, denying that prisoners are living in dirty or dangerous situations.

1 reply 1 like
· 11 Oct 2020

10/ According to data from Oct. 9, 16 incarcerated people have contracted the virus at CCWF. There have also been 45 confirmed cases among prison staff, and one death.

Inside the COVID unit at the world’s largest women’s prison
The Central California Women’s Facility quarantined prisoners with COVID-19 with those who never tested positive for the virus.
19thnews.org
1 reply 1 retweet 1 like
· 11 Oct 2020

11/ In a letter to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Elizabeth Lozano wrote that she was forced to attend a drug re-entry program that exposed her to the virus. She tested negative for COVID-19 three times in two weeks, but continued to be kept in 503.

Inside the COVID unit at the world’s largest women’s prison
The Central California Women’s Facility quarantined prisoners with COVID-19 with those who never tested positive for the virus.
19thnews.org
1 reply 1 like
· 11 Oct 2020

12/ Lozano, 45, suffers from asthma, lupus, neuropathy, a heart condition and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, an inflammatory lung disease that makes it hard to breathe.

Inside the COVID unit at the world’s largest women’s prison
The Central California Women’s Facility quarantined prisoners with COVID-19 with those who never tested positive for the virus.
19thnews.org
1 reply 1 like
· 11 Oct 2020

13/ The pandemic has also been especially stressful for many trans people in prison. Mychal Concepcion, a 50-year-old trans man, has spent 22 years at CCWF. Overwhelmingly, prisoners are housed according to their gender assigned at birth, like Concepcion.

Inside the COVID unit at the world’s largest women’s prison
The Central California Women’s Facility quarantined prisoners with COVID-19 with those who never tested positive for the virus.
19thnews.org
1 reply 2 likes
· 11 Oct 2020

14/ On July 24, Concepcion went into quarantine in 503. The virus has exacerbated power dynamics in the prison, he said. Because he is trans, staff treat him like he's disposable, he said, like it doesn't matter if he contracts the virus. Staff misgender and demean him.

1 reply 1 retweet 8 likes
· 11 Oct 2020

15/15 All of the people The 19th interviewed are now out of 503. But there are lasting impacts for some. And the fear — of getting the virus, landing back in 503 — is ever present. More from and :

Inside the COVID unit at the world’s largest women’s prison
The Central California Women’s Facility quarantined prisoners with COVID-19 with those who never tested positive for the virus.
19thnews.org
8 likes
· 11 Oct 2020

It's probably unfathomable for most people to imagine what the pandemic experience is like inside prison. Thank you for writing a piece that helps place us there...Thinking about dear friends & colleagues inside who are courageously speaking out

Inside the COVID unit at the world’s largest women’s prison
The Central California Women’s Facility quarantined prisoners with COVID-19 with those who never tested positive for the virus.
19thnews.org
1 retweet 3 likes
· 11 Oct 2020

using sanitary napkins to clean. going a month without feeling the sun. spending weeks in the COVID unit despite never having the virus. this summer and I reported what happened when COVID entered the world’s largest women’s prison.

Inside the COVID unit at the world’s largest women’s prison
The Central California Women’s Facility quarantined prisoners with COVID-19 with those who never tested positive for the virus.
19thnews.org
6 replies 164 retweets 262 likes
· 11 Oct 2020

This is phenomenal reporting. I don’t say this lightly — an *actual* must-read.

using sanitary napkins to clean. going a month without feeling the sun. spending weeks in the COVID unit despite never having the virus. this summer and I reported what happened when COVID entered the world’s largest women’s prison.
Show this thread
2 replies 3 likes
· 11 Oct 2020

When journalists start asking questions: (We need more journalists asking questions.)

The Central California Women's Facility, the largest women's prison in the world, allegedly quarantined COVID-positive and negative people together. Hear from those who lived in building 503. New from and :
Show this thread
3 likes
· 11 Oct 2020

The largest women’s prison IN THE WORLD is in California, and they allegedly quarantined prisoners with COVID-19 with those who never tested positive for the virus. Incredible reporting by and ⬇️

The Central California Women's Facility, the largest women's prison in the world, allegedly quarantined COVID-positive and negative people together. Hear from those who lived in building 503. New from and :
Show this thread
1 reply 4 retweets 13 likes
· 11 Oct 2020

Absolutely kickass reporting from Kate and Ko. This story is devastating and important.

The Central California Women's Facility, the largest women's prison in the world, allegedly quarantined COVID-positive and negative people together. Hear from those who lived in building 503. New from and :
Show this thread
1 retweet 13 likes
· 11 Oct 2020

Inside building 503, where prisoners w/ COVID-19 are quarantined w/ those who never tested positive. “We know that it is only a matter of time before the COVID is spread, infecting every single woman here.” Important work from &

Inside the COVID unit at the world’s largest women’s prison
The Central California Women’s Facility quarantined prisoners with COVID-19 with those who never tested positive for the virus.
19thnews.org
3 retweets 8 likes

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