Coronavirus in rural America (Part LXVIII): Outbreak in rural California county dominated by prisons

Hailey Branson-Potts reports in the Los Angeles Times about a coronavirus outbreak in Susanville, the county seat of Lassen County, California, population 34,895, and the home of several state and federal prison.  What has happened is that the California Department of Corrections has transferred to High Desert State Prison several inmates from San Quinten, in Marin County/North Bay.  Those inmates, in turn, had been transferred from prisons in Southern California.  Here's the story's lede:

For months, rural Lassen County held a pandemic distinction as one of the only counties in California with zero confirmed cases of COVID-19. 

The sparsely populated Northern California county, which did not report its first coronavirus case until May 22, was one of the first in the state to ease social restrictions and reopen public life. 

But now, a major outbreak among inmates at a state prison in Susanville, linked to the transfer of inmates from San Quentin State Prison, has frustrated local officials who say the state’s movement of infected prisoners now poses a grave danger to their community.

Branson-Potts then quotes Richard Egan, the Lassen County spokesperson: 

The sentiment is really of disappointment with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, to disregard the impact on our community with regard to their policy of moving inmates around.

Read the entire story and don't miss the quotes from State Senator Brian Dahle and his wife, state representative Megan Dahle, who represent the area.  (For the record, Brian Dahle also represents my senate district down here in suburban Sacramento; it's a massive one in terms of territory covered--from the Oregon state line to the suburbs of the state capital).  They're frustrated by the transfer of prisoners during the coronavirus, especially into a community with so few health care resources.  The only hospital in Susanville has 25 beds.  Another concern is that folks working at the prison come from neighboring counties, including Modoc County to the north, Plumas County to the south, and across the state line into Nevada.  To date, Modoc County has recorded no coronavirus cases.

Other posts out of Lassen County are here,  here, and here.  Susanville was the subject of the 2010 documentary "Prisontown USA" by Po Kutchins and Katie Galloway.