Posted on 12/16/2020 7:27:47 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
DENVER - Amber Johnson is terrified her 63-year-old father will get the coronavirus. He has high blood pressure, asthma and is pre-diabetic, and she worries he’s especially vulnerable as an inmate in Colorado, where outbreaks in prisons are raging.
Prisons across the U.S. have been hit hard by COVID-19. Social distancing is virtually impossible behind bars: inmates sleep in close quarters and share bathrooms. Masks, hygiene supplies and safety protocols are often lacking, and many inmates have health problems that make them susceptible to the virus.
Johnson believes a vaccine might be the only hope for her father, Ronald Johnson, who is serving time for theft, forgery and drug possession.
But in Colorado and most other states, prisoners aren’t near the front of the line for initial doses of COVID-19 vaccine now being distributed. Health care workers and nursing home residents are getting the first wave of shots, and many argue that those who break the law — despite living in conditions that put them at risk — shouldn’t be a priority when many others are vulnerable.
Initially, Colorado had inmates in the second phase of vaccine distribution, set for the spring, behind health workers and first responders but ahead of other adults over 65 with health conditions. Prisoners were to be treated like others in group housing, including homeless shelters and college dorms.
But an outcry followed. Suburban Denver prosecutor George Brauchler said the plan would have allowed two men convicted of killing the son of 66-year-old state Sen. Rhonda Fields to be vaccinated before her.
“The people who murdered her son would get it before she would,” Brauchler said.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
So her father is more important than some mother of 3 kids?
Can someone get me a box of tissues? This is heartbreaking.
Boo ficken Hoo
“Inmates facing big virus risks not near top of vaccine lists..”
TS. Actually, they can use most of the scum for medical experimentation as far as I care.
This article is misleading spin.
In most States, prisoners are prioritized higher than the general population - just not the highest priority.
Prisoners don’t evidence the highest death rates, nursing home residents do (more than 40% of US fatalities). Medical staff and nursing home patients are the first in line (Cat 1A).
Prisoners enhanced risk of exposure was broadly accounted for by States in determining priority, and that was recommended to them by the Feds.
Prisoners themselves are generally sub-divided in priority, with older inmates and those with co-morbidities typically Cat 1.
Careful what you ask for...we may all become political dissidents of leftists...
Maybe the bullsh*tters at AP could give us a few statistics.
I'm guessing criminals in lock up are probably just as safe as criminals outside in 'lockdown'...
during the aids epidemic, still ongoing, they only wanted 3% of the inmate population tested due to not wanting to stigmatize the preferred gay groups. no big money in it either.
“pre-diabetic” is yet another medical scam. You have it or your don’t have it. Saying “pre-diabetic” is like saying “pre-pregnant”. If you can simply modify your diet and no longer be diabetic, you weren’t diabetic to begin with. It’s just another scam to control people.
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