COVID-19 update for offenders and their families: September 4, 2020

This content is a message to federal offenders and their families from Correctional Service Canada's (CSC’s) Commissioner.

As September begins, we are continuing to review the safest ways to resume key services and operations.

To date, we have reinstated several activities and programs at our institutions to support you. I know things look a little different in how they are rolling out but appreciate your cooperation as we work to put in place the required health and safety measures. We are mindful that we must continue to be gradual in our approach to ensure that we can keep everyone safe.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been talk about a vaccine for the virus, both here in Canada and in other countries. Although many vaccines are in clinical trials or under development, no vaccines have yet been approved in Canada. The Government of Canada is working to ensure a future supply of potential vaccines for Canadians. On Monday, the Government of Canada announced that it has agreements in place with four pharmaceutical companies that are developing a COVID-19 vaccine and planning to procure doses of experimental COVID 19 vaccines in the future.

As I mentioned last week, the flu vaccine will soon be available to you and there will be more information about this in the coming weeks. Typically, the flu season runs from late fall to early spring.

We want to continue keeping COVID-19 out of our sites. There continues to be no COVID-19 cases among inmates across our 43 institutions. We know the measures everyone is following are making a difference.

Please keep washing your hands often, keep two metres apart from others as much as possible, and continue to wear your mask. These are effective prevention measures against the spread of this virus.

I thank you for your continued efforts and cooperation. We all have an active role to play in keeping ourselves and those around us safe.