Page - 372 - in VULNERABLE - The Law, Policy and Ethics of COVID-19

VULNERABLE372 medical specialists), and a chronic shortage of health professionals.18 Issues with untimely or inaccurate diagnosis, at times leading to death, have been reported with some regularity.19 The availability and distribution of medication are both issues.20 COVID-19 Prison Policies, Practices, and Rates of Infection Federal and provincial responses to COVID-19 have been vari- able, with some key measures having been taken in some instances, but overall there are serious deficits. For example, most provincial systems,21 have taken steps, to various degrees, to release individuals serving intermittent sentences (weekends) or who had little time left on their sentences.22 Based on these criteria, Nova Scotia reduced their incarcerated numbers by half,23 while Ontario released over 2,000 peo- ple.24 Some provinces have been providing released individuals with 18. Adelina Iftene, supra note 13. 19. Canada, Office of the Correctional Investigator, supra note 5 at 9. 20. Canada, Office of the Correctional Investigator, National  Drug  Formulary  Investiga- tion:  Summary  of  Findings  and  Recommendations, (Ottawa: Office of the Correctional Investigator, January 2015), online: Office  of  the  Correctional  Investigator <perma.cc/ ZJF6-TD3R>. 21. Tracking the Politics of Criminalization and Punishment in Canada, “Carceral Depopulation Measures to Prevent COVID-19 Transmission in Canada” (April 9, 2020), online (blog): TPCP-Canada <perma.cc/2XQ3-6XSX>. 22. NL Newfoundland and Labrador, Justice and Public Safety, COVID-19  and  the  Department  of  Justice  and  Public  Safety, (St John’s: Justice and Public Safety, May 1, 2020), online: Justice  and  Public  Safety <perma.cc/74LH-Q8CN>; New Brunswick, Office of the Premier, Update  on  COVID-19, (Fredericton: Office of the Premier, 17 March 2020), online: Office  of  the  Premier  <perma.cc/V42Z-WCCE>; Alberta, Correctional Services, Adult Correctional and Remand Centres, (Calgary: Correctional Services), online: Correctional Services <perma.cc/78TG-6QHB>; British Columbia, Corrections, BC  Corrections  Response  to  COVID-19, (Vancouver: Corrections), online: Corrections <www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/justice/criminal- justice/corrections>; Ontario, Ministry of the Solicitor General, Correctional Services Update  on  COVID-19, (Toronto: Ministry of the Solicitor General, 9 April 2020), online: Ministry  of  the  Solicitor  General <perma.cc/DB5G-5G3G>; Saskatchewan Government News and Media, “Update On COVID-19 Measures Being Taken In Correctional Facilities” (27 March 2020), online: Government  News  and  Media <perma.cc/KK5A-HG76#utm_campaign=q2_2015&utm_medium=short&utm_ source=%2Fgovernment%2Fnews-and-media%2F2020%2Fmarch%2F27%2Fco vid-19-update-correctional-facilities>; Letter from Minister of Justice Cliff Cullen to Canadian Prison Law Association (27 April 2020). 23. Haley Ryan, “Nova Scotia Jail Population Almost Cut in Half Under COVID-19 Measures”, CBC News (22 April 2020), online: <perma.cc/7885-MCMV>. 24. CBC News, “More than 2,000 Inmates Released, 6 COVID-19 Cases Confirmed Inside Ontario Jails”, CBC News (9 April 2020), online: <perma.cc/8UKW-P5TZ>.