The Home Office has released almost 300 people from detention centres in the last few days because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Guardian has learned. The Home Office provided a response to the legal action to the high court out of hours on Friday. The UK government issued guidance stating that if there was a significant outbreak of Covid-19, “cohorting” should be used to put all those infected together behind locked doors in prisons, detention centres, young offender institutions and secure units. Emma Ginn, director of the detention charity Medical Justice, said that those still in detention were scared of contracting the virus. Bella Sankey, director of Detention Action, said:”Our landmark legal challenge has already forced a response from the home secretary.

Source: The Guardian March 21, 2020 12:33 UTC