The rise in cases across the prison system is sparking renewed calls for the early release of thousands of prisoners at risk of developing serious complications from Covid-19. And it is elevating urgent questions about early vaccine access for people in the system. âIn the last nine months the state had a chance to do the right thing, they didnât and now people inside are terrified,â said Dr Hadar Aviram, a professor with UC Hastings Law. âWhat if he dies in there?â Since the start of the pandemic, more than 38,000 people in Californiaâs overcrowded state prison system have tested positive for coronavirus, according to the California department of corrections and rehabilitationâs own count, and at least 114 have died. The virus has spread like wildfire in the overcrowded facilities, and prison authorities have faced criticism for exacerbating its spread through chaotic guidelines and ill-advised prison transfers.