Prisoners face significant viral risk but are not at the top of the vaccine list

Unversionson fears that his 63-year-old father will be infected with the coronavirus. She is worried that he has high blood pressure, asthma, and prediabetes, and is particularly vulnerable as a Colorado inmate whose outbreaks are intensifying in prison.

Prisons across the United States have been hit hard by COVID-19. It is virtually impossible to keep a social distance behind the bar. Prisoners sleep in tight spaces and share a bathroom. Masks, hygiene products, and safety protocols are often lacking, and many prisoners have health problems that make them susceptible to the virus.

Johnson believes that vaccines may be the only hope for his father, Ronald Johnson, who provides time for theft, counterfeiting, and drug possession.

However, in Colorado and most other states, prisoners are not at the forefront of the initial dose of the COVID-19 vaccine currently being distributed. Healthcare workers and nursing home residents have been the first to be attacked, and many, if many others are vulnerable, those who violate the law live in a situation of danger. Nevertheless, he insists that it should not be prioritized.

“It’s a terrible idea to think that he’s dead in jail, because I’ve heard that if you have a loved one who died in jail, you just put the remains in the box. They were cremated. “Send it home,” said Amber Johnson. “You don’t have the opportunity to sit beside them and hold their hands.”

Initially, Colorado had inmates in the second phase of vaccine distribution, behind health care workers and first responders for the spring, but more than other healthy adults over the age of 65. Was also progressing. Prisoners were to be treated like others in group housing, including homeless shelters and university dormitories.

However, protests continued. The plan allows two men convicted of killing the son of 66-year-old State Senator Ronda Fields to be vaccinated in front of her, Denver prosecutor George Browler. Said that.

“People who killed her son will get it before she does,” Browler said.

Democratic Governor Jared Polis succumbed to criticism last week and renewed his plans to prioritize age and health risks over where people live. Prison personnel will be vaccinated in the second phase as well as the first responder.

“If you’re 67 or at risk, whether you’re in jail or not, you’ll be able to get the vaccine once it’s available to people, wherever they are.” Said Police.

Colorado has changed course, but California, North Carolina, Maryland, Delaware, Utah, New Mexico, Nebraska, Montana, and Massachusetts have the first prisoners vaccinated this winter. Some states are taking steps to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 by releasing nonviolent offenders early.

However, even in the states with the largest prison outbreaks, prisoners often did not participate in early vaccine distribution programs.

The five states with the highest number of coronavirus cases in prison (Texas, California, Florida, Michigan, and Wisconsin) have more information on how to do this, according to data compiled as part of a joint project between the Associated Press and The Marshall Project. Was not included. Prisoners will be prioritized in the October draft report to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Michigan has decided to treat prisoners like everyone else, vaccinate them based on age and health issues, and not prioritize them as a group. However, according to a state plan updated on Sunday, prison and prison workers are people aged 16 and 64 who are 65 years of age or older or who may exacerbate COVID-19 in conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. Will be vaccinated with other mandatory workers before.

Wisconsin is still deciding which groups should be vaccinated after the first wave of vaccination. Texas is likely to consider prisoners alongside other vulnerable groups, but plans are unclear.

Another state with a high prevalence of prisons, Iowa, prioritizes people living in state facilities for prisoners and persons with disabilities over other states, behind health care workers and nursing home residents and staff. I am planning to put it in.

According to documents obtained by AP, one of the first government agencies to receive the vaccine, the Federal Prison System, plans to administer the initial vaccine to staff rather than prisoners.

Uncertainty is a fundamental pain for a prisoner’s family. They are urging state authorities to consider the risk of infection behind the regulation. Healthcare professionals also suggest that prison life arrangements require higher priorities.

“This is very important because it turns out to be a hotspot from a public health perspective,” said Maria Morris, senior attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union’s National Prison Project. “And people are in and out of jail. There is no way to avoid it.”

This includes executives, administrative staff, attorneys, medical and mental health workers.

More than 249,000 inmates are positive nationwide, and nearly 1,700 have died of COVID-19. Nearly three-quarters of prisoners were infected with the virus in a Colorado prison last week.

Meanwhile, the Colorado ACLU has fought some prisoners for early release to reduce their risk. Ronald Johnson worked for 22 years and proceeded with parole until 2027, but his daughter is worried that it may still be too far away.

Amber Johnson said her father was a non-violent criminal who was calm, coaching other prisoners, helping prison churches, and coordinating mental health courses. She says he deserves a chance to live — and that means a vaccine for her.

“It’s time,” said Johnson, who lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas. “Before someone else dies, it needs to be done urgently — and someone else will die.”

Relation: Negotiators are approaching agreement on a second stimulus check for the postponed COVID-19 aid bill

Relation: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Quarantine after COVID-19 exposure