Federal prison inmates across Canada will begin receiving COVID-19 vaccinations on Friday, according to a statement by the Union of Canadian Corrections Officers (UCCO)..UCCO said the pilot project will see prisons receiving 1,200 doses of the vaccine – enough to inoculate 600 inmates with the required two doses, reported Global News..That’s well ahead of Canadian front-line health workers, vulnerable senior citizens and other at-risk citizens..“Not one criminal should be vaccinated ahead of any vulnerable Canadian or front line health worker,” Tory leader Erin O’Toole tweeted in response to the story..It was not reported which prisons will be receiving the initial round of vaccine doses..UCCO says that sick and elderly inmates will be prioritized, however prison officers and employees will have to wait for before they are vaccinated..While many Canadians are appalled to learn that prison inmates are going to be receiving vaccinations before seniors, and workers in seniors care facilities, prisoner advocates have been saying that inmates should be given “speedy access” to vaccines..As of Tuesday, there are 195 active cases of COVID-19 in federal prisons across Canada, according to Correctional Services Canada (CSC). Three inmates have died since the pandemic took hold in March, while nearly 950 others have recovered from the virus, said Global..As of December 18, 96.4 per cent of Canada’s 13,579 COVID-19 related fatalities have been seniors..Only 3 federal inmates have died from COVID-19 related causes, with the death total among seniors at 13,094..The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) agrees with O’Toole. PHAC public health guidance identifies four priority categories for vaccination:.SeniorsResidents of long-term care homesHealth care workersAdults in indigenous communities..Since the PHAC priorities were determined on the basis of risk, they do not mention federal inmates, with only 3 deaths since March..Ken Grafton is the Western Standards Ottawa Bureau Chief. He can be reached at kgrafton@westernstandardonline.com
