Ohio Expects Swine Flu Vaccines For Inmates Soon
Published: October 28, 2009
COLUMBUS, Ohio
The state says it expects thousands of doses of swine flu vaccine any day for prison medical workers and certain inmates.
The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction is awaiting 10,876 doses of vaccine to cover 1,984 medical workers and 8,892 inmates.
The prisoners have priority for the vaccines because they are pregnant, diabetic, under 18 or have chronic respiratory problems or compromised immune systems.
Spokeswoman JoEllen Smith says the agency expects to have vaccinations for another 52,487 employees and inmates in December.
The prison system has no reported cases of swine flu.
The Department of Youth Services is also awaiting swine flu vaccinations for the 1,150 youth in state detention facility centers.
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Reader Reactions
It’s bad enough that we have to feed, clothe and shelter inmates, we also have to educate, medicate, and placate them. Now people want to vaccinate them ahead of hard working, honest citizens? How ridiculous is that? Where can I commit a crime to get such royal treatment?
All high-risk individuals living in close quarters should be immunized as soon as possible no matter who they are. High-risk people who contract H1N1 and go on to develop complications take up a lot of resources. That means less Tamiflu and ICU beds for everyone else.
I THINK THEY SHOULD GET BECAUSE SOME INMATES DID STUPID THINGS FOR EXAMPLE ROBBERY BUT I FEEL INMATES WHO KILLED SHOULD GET IT LAST.
While watching the Today show this morning, I heard Dr Nancy Sniderman say that there were rumors that if you “have connections” you can get the vacine. She said she has “connections” and can’t get the vacine for herself or anyone else. I hate to sound like I’m unconcerned for anyone, whether incarcerated or not, but it seems to me that the health care workers and employees for the prisons definitely should be given the vacine to protect them. As far as the prisoners, I’m not sure they should take any priority at all. As Keo and Jacketsfan commented, “What’s up with the priorities?“ My daughter-in-law is a teacher and she is scared to pieces to go to work each day, for fear she will bring the virus home to her 15 month old daughter.
This is a dicey delemia. The virus target group, the young, folks with immune problems and others at risk should be first in line, no matter what. I’m not sure that prisoners fall into that group. Seems to me they are in prison for a reason and shouldn’t come first in line because of that. With so little vacine to go around, someone needs to rethink this move. Okay NBC4, get on it and investigate this!!
I am so disappointed in our government. Months ago the CDC came out saying H1N1 could kill up to 90,000 plus and most would be kids! NOW I can not get my kids (who have asthma) vaccinated due to lack of vaccines. But we are going to instead send vaccines to over 8,000 prisoners? Not just workers but Prisoners? I’m saddened that we have put criminals above our innocent children! How can anyone really justify this?! Cruel and unusual is a child dying b/c their vaccine went to a murderer, rapist, or pedaphile b/c they had asthma or diabetes! We need to speak up for our kids! This is ridiculous!!!
Such a tricky topic…if you put people (or even animals) in a cage somewhere, you’re taking a responsibility for their health. Otherwise it becomes cruel and unusual. Not to mention, so many people in a confined space…it’s the perfect place for viruses to mutate. Look at the prisons in Russia and the strands of T.B. that come out of there…they are totally resistant to any drug that exist!
ARE YOU KIDDING ME???
I am a kindey transplant patient with NO immune system and I am waiting my turn to get my shot before I get exposed to the H1N1 virus. Sure I could go and say I work with kids, but I’m a bit more honest than that. Instead of giving the shots to kids and LAW ABIDING citizens, we are going to give the doses to the criminals that are locked up?? ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? Let them give the flu to each other…the jail is over-crowded and this can help take care of that problem!!
why is it that inmates are getting the swine flu vaccine before my 6 year old son and 10 year old daughter can.i guess in todays world that only makes since.i wouldnt want them to spread the infection while they are boosting a car or robbing a liquor store.
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