The International Corrections and Prisons Association and other groups around the world have come together to thank prison and parole officers for their commitment and professionalism.

Coronavirus: All the latest updates on COVID-19 for Tasmania

The community is being asked to share the #WeApplaud message on their social media channels to show their support for Australia's 25,000 corrections staff who mange more than 43,000 inmates in custody and 83,000 offenders in the community.

Tasmanian Director of Prisons Ian Thomas said the state's correctional staff had shown incredible flexibility, professionalism and resilience as the Tasmania Prison Service went through significant and rapid change to establish a strategy to prevent COVID-19 entering its prisons.

"I'm proud of the staff across the TPS in their response to this crisis and their efforts to keep our prisons safe and COVID-19 free," Mr Thomas said.

"I hope the wider community will join us in saying, 'we applaud' them."

ICPA president and Corrective Services New South Wales Commissioner Peter Severin said, even at the best of times, Australia's corrections staff go to work each day and face often dangerous situations when managing inmates in prisons and offenders in the community.

"Now our officers are adapting to the new challenge of COVID-19 by keeping our prisons and parole offices safe from the disease, while also ensuring the smooth and safe running of our facilities - for this they should be truly applauded," Mr Severin said.

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