Demi Lovato Speaks Up For The Incarcerated During Pandemic

Demi Lovato was a guest on the latest "At Home" edition of The Tonight Show, where she spent her time advocating for one of the COVID-19 pandemic's most vulnerable populations — the incarcerated. Prisons are breeding grounds for communicable diseases, and in the case of the coronavirus, crowded facilities and lack of access to sanitizing supplies can only speed up the rate of transmission.

"It's important that everyone is treated equally during this pandemic, including inmates," she told Fallon over video chat. "Especially the vulnerable ones who are more susceptible to this disease than other people. We're talking elderly, we're talking non-violent offenders. It's people who are really at danger. We need to support them and give them the rights they deserve as fellow Americans."

Lovato is throwing her support behind #cut50, a national bipartisan effort to reduce the number of people in our prisons and jails, calling for every state to implement policies that ensure the safety, health, and overall well being of incarcerated individuals amid the COVID-19 outbreak. #cut50's proposed reforms are all encompassing. The organization aims to hit fundamentals, like providing information on COVID-19, its symptoms, and how to avoid transmission to inmates, as well as giving protective equipment and training to all who participate in the preparation or distribution of food or other goods, like laundry and supplies. #cut50's reforms also include bigger policy shifts, like having a medical professional accompany staff during daily count times, and giving them the authority to take necessary medical actions regarding an at-risk or infected person. Furthermore, the organization aims to help those most vulnerable to infection, like the elderly and immunocompromised persons by ensuring early release. Read more about #cut50's mission and sign their petition here.