Delay in vaccinating prisoners sparks concern among authorities  

KOCHI: Even as Covid transmission among prisoners lodged at jails in the district has come down, authorities are concerned about the delay in giving vaccination for inmates making threats of virus spread alive. The situation has come under control at Ernakulam district jail where nearly one-third of prisoners had tested positive last month. 

According to prison officials, as many as 98 prisoners and staff were tested positive at the district jail and sub-jails in Ernakulam in the last one month. Of these, around 83 cases were reported from Ernakulam district jail alone. “As many as 63 cases were reported on a single day last month at the Kakkanad district jail.  Now all people who tested positive have recovered. However, as new inmates are being brought to jail on a daily basis, the threat still exists. For this vaccination of prisoners has to be completed on an emergency basis to avert another outbreak,” an official said.

Prison officials have written to the health department and district administration to provide vaccines to the prisoners. “It has almost been two weeks since the letter was given to the authorities concerned. They had promised that vaccination would be started soon.

Currently, we have to maintain strict restrictions inside the jail to prevent any new Covid-19 cases. All newly admitted persons are being tested and they  are put under quarantine. There are also restrictions on visitors in jail. Even then there are chances of Covid cases as officials and workers come from outside,” he said.

Currently, the food for prisoners is prepared by officials. Earlier, the food was prepared by prisoners themselves. The Freedom food stall which sells food products prepared by prisoners has also been  closed. “We are looking to open it once the lockdown is completely lifted and the initial round vaccination of prisoners is completed. There has been a direction from prison headquarters to all jails that vaccination of prisoners should be completed by June second week,” an official said.