Joe – who is serving 22 years in jail for plotting to murder animal rights activist Carole Baskin – has been informed that all tests, medical visits and blood probes are "not happening", a blow in his fight against prostate cancer.
Joe is already "concerned" that the cancer has spread to his pelvis and stomach and revealed that he waited for months to get care after his initial diagnosis but the prison was plunged into crisis at the same time.
The 58-year-old star said: "I finally had an appointment with the outside oncologist and hematologist at 9am yesterday (Monday) and at 8.30am we went into lockdown.
"They pulled some positive inmates out of my unit. With this many guards going home, no mask in the community, and coming back, there is no way to avoid this.
"All of this will slow down an already flawed and slow system for getting a court date and a new trial."
The star's close friend, the TV producer Theresa McKeown, said she is concerned about his "vulnerability" as he already has a weakened immune system as well as cancer.
She said: "He has an immune disorder that not only puts him at such a high risk, but now that they're on lockdown and he can't get his medical treatments.
"I'm truly concerned about him. I'd like to think that the prison is doing all they can to keep everyone as safe as possible, but it's still a very precarious place for him to be.
"Joe has survived so many physical challenges over the years – my hope is that he'll get through this one as well.
"As far as I'm concerned, he doesn't belong where he is, so this makes the situation all the more egregious.
"But thankfully there is much being done by his legal team to get him out of prison and on with his life."
