Missouri prisoners are raising concerns because guards are not required to wear face masks.
Prisoners told the Kansas City Star that many guards choose not to wear masks to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. A spokeswoman for the Corrections Department says guards must wear masks when they're around inmates with symptoms or those who have tested positive for COVID-19. At least 67 staffers at 12 prisons have tested positive for COVID-19. More than 200 inmates have contracted the virus.
An expert in health in prisons says guards should always wear masks because social distancing is often impossible.
