# Identifying and evaluating prevention strategies for COVID-19 in correctional facilities

> **NIH NIH R00** · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · 2024 · $246,736

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Respiratory infections, including SARS-CoV-2, disproportionately affect residents of correctional facilities (jails
and prisons). While the Federal Bureau of Prisons and state Departments of Correction (DOCs) implemented
numerous prevention strategies including social distancing protocols, vaccination campaigns, and testing
programs to mitigate transmission and reduce the disease burden, overarching guidance on COVID-19
prevention within correctional facilities is limited. As a result, DOCs must develop and modify their policies based
on existing evidence regarding the effectiveness of COVID-19 prevention strategies within correctional facilities.
Unfortunately, the existing evidence base is limited. Specifically, the effectiveness of prevention strategies has
principally been estimated in isolation (not in combination with other strategies) and while holding the variant
constant. Because of this, DOCs are left with little evidence on how to implement and adapt prevention strategies
in combination and under the ever-changing COVID-19 landscape. With the goal of expanding the evidence
base for infectious disease prevention strategies within correctional facilities, we will estimate the effects of
testing and vaccination on the burden of COVID-19 in both jails and prisons. To do so, we will develop an
individual level discrete time hazard (transmission) model of SARS-CoV-2 and test the feasibility and reliability
of a cutting-edge statistical causal inference approach as an alternative to transmission modeling (Aims 1 & 2).
To examine the effects of testing and vaccination in combination and to identify scenarios when strategies require
modification to contain spread and reduce disease burden, we will simulate waves of SARS-CoV-2 in the
community and identify the strategy combinations required to prevent outbreaks within facilities using our
transmission models (Aim 3). The proposed simulation approach will allow for the simulation of SARS-CoV-2
transmission and disease under known and future, theoretical scenarios. The execution of the proposed aims
will strengthen the evidence available to DOCs and other policymakers and could make possible the estimation
of indirect treatment effects under a causal framework within complex, nested social networks. In addition, their
execution, coupled with the proposed training program comprising coursework, structured mentoring, and
experiential learning, will allow Dr. Lind (the candidate) to enrich her knowledge of infectious disease
transmission modeling, causal inference methods for treatment effect estimation in the presence of interference,
and health disparities and infection control within a highly marginalized population, residents of correctional
facilities. The candidate has established an expert mentoring and advisory team led by Dr. Albert Ko at the
Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases Department at the Yale School of Public Health to enable this training, guide
Dr. Lind's transition ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11140790
- **Project number:** 4R00AI177945-03
- **Recipient organization:** BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS
- **Principal Investigator:** Margaret Lind
- **Activity code:** R00 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $246,736
- **Award type:** 4N
- **Project period:** 2023-08-04 → 2026-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11140790

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11140790, Identifying and evaluating prevention strategies for COVID-19 in correctional facilities (4R00AI177945-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11140790. Licensed CC0.

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