COVID-19: About half of prison population vaccinated

Director of Prisons (ag) Nicklon Elliot says that approximately 55 per cent of the prison population have been fully vaccinated against the dreaded COVID-19.

The Director told the press at the sidelines of an event on Friday that meals for prisoners were also improved to include more nutritional content to boost their immune system.

“Our current vaccination rate in terms of prisoners is about 55 per cent both first and second dose and we are working daily to engage them, encouraging them and to have the public awareness session done in the prisons by the medical team and letting them know of the advantages of taking the vaccine,” Elliot explained.

There is an active engagement with the Ministry of Health to conduct vaccination drives at prisons across the country, Elliot explained. A number of prisoners would have tested positive for the virus earlier in the year but Elliot said the situation is under control and a rigorous system was implemented to minimise the spread of the virus within the prisons.

“What you find happening is those persons who are admitted to prisons, we have an isolation section for them and, of course, they are being tested on admission and are being isolated for 14 days. We have introduced several measures within the prison to combat the whole spread of COVID-19 and these measures are in keeping with the Ministry of Health.”

These measures include wearing masks, daily sanitising and hand washing.