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With a decision on coronavirus vaccine distribution plans looming, several states and medical groups have presented drafts and recommendations for guidelines on who should be considered high priority for the limited supply.
Healthcare workers are widely assumed to be the first in line, but several of the plans have prisoners categorized as a high priority group, in some cases ahead of the elderly and other vulnerable populations.
In Colorado, for example, the state’s draft plans under government Jared Polis for an initial deployment sees the critical workforce listed in a Phase 1A and Phase 1B, followed by those most at risk. such as residents and patients living with assistance, long term care and nursing homes in phase 1C.
In Colorado Phase 2A, people who live in collective housing, including those in prisons and essential workers, will receive the vaccine, ahead of those listed in Phase 2B, which includes adults 65 years of age or older. , those with obesity, heart disease, active cancer and other underlying health problems.
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“Decisions on how to prioritize a limited supply of COVID-19 vaccine are complex,” Dr. Lisa Lee, public health expert and associate vice president for research and innovation at Fox News, told Fox News. Virginia Tech. “Prioritizing who gets the vaccine first isn’t about determining whether one group is more deserving than another; it’s about making sure we’ve weighed all conflicting ethical priorities fairly and equitably. Ideally. , anyone could get the vaccine on day one, but since that is not possible, we must make thoughtful and transparent decisions based on conflicting priorities. ”
But putting those convicted of crimes before the elderly is not for everyone.
“In the current plan, Polis elevates jailed pedophiles and career criminals above grandparents and adults with lung and heart disease,” wrote George Brauchler, an opinion columnist for the Denver Post. “Two weeks ago, Polis went hyperbolically metaphorically comparing those who dared to have an extended family Thanksgiving during COVID as ‘bringing a loaded gun to Grandma’s head.’ Ironically, Polis would give the life-saving vaccine to someone who puts a loaded gun on Grandma’s head before giving it to Grandma. “
Colorado’s draft plan isn’t alone in pushing for prisons to be included in the initial vaccine rollout. The American Medical Association recently called for stronger mitigation measures in the country’s immigrant penitentiaries and detention facilities and has gone so far as to recommend that inmates, immigrant detainees, and prison officers be included in the initial phases of the distribution of the coronavirus vaccine.
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Lee said the recommendation was based on what makes ethical sense, as an older or sick inmate would be at greater risk for serious illness from the coronavirus rather than a healthy older adult living in such a way. independent.
“The data on COVID-19 shows us that gathering places like prisons and long-term care facilities are places through which the virus spreads rapidly,” she said. “While otherwise healthy people in crowded environments might have a mild case, anyone with an underlying illness is at greater risk of serious illness and death.
An earlier meeting of the CDC advisory committee brought together correctional officers with other essential workers such as teachers, police, firefighters, utility workers, food and agriculture workers, and transportation workers. , who would receive the vaccine in phase 1B, after healthcare professionals and residents of long-term care facilities placed in phase 1A. However, prisoners and incarcerated persons were excluded from group 1B.
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According to documents from the Internal Bureau of Prisons, the initial attributions of the vaccine “will be reserved for the staff”, which has drawn criticism, according to the Associated Press.
“We’re not saying that prisoners should be treated better than anyone else, but they shouldn’t be treated worse than anyone forced to live in a community,” Dr. Eric Toner, co-author of a report on the vaccine allocation released by the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told the New York Times.
Lee added that when making a decision about distribution, CDC must take into account logistical and ethical considerations.
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“From an ethical point of view, we are thinking about several priorities, some of which are in conflict,” she said. “Are we prioritizing those most at risk for serious illness and death, such as the elderly and those with underlying illnesses? Or should we give it first to people who have the most contact with others and could spread COVID-19 like teachers, public transport and grocery store workers, or people who live closely together? with others? Or should we make sure that health system workers get the vaccine first so we can make sure they continue to provide care to others? Public health officials want to be sure that we maximize the benefits for all people while bearing in mind that we must be fair and ensure that the most vulnerable are taken care of. “
On Monday, the Federal Bureau of Prisons reported that 4,721 of 124,869 federal inmates had tested positive for the novel coronavirus. 1,414 additional members out of 36,000 also tested positive. Since the start of the pandemic, 20,137 inmates and 1,871 staff have recovered, the data shows. There were 145 deaths among inmates and two among staff.
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