Just like healthcare and care workers, they are in close contact with residents and with people outside the facility. What is the risk to inmates, staff and the general functioning of the institution?
According to Samir Djennas, president of the AAP, they have weathered the pandemic fairly well so far. But he points out that a prison has to remain open, even if there is a staff shortage:
"We were a bit surprised by this decision. It seems illogical to us to vaccinate people according to occupational criteria. There are many different professions working in one place, so we cannot understand why some are prioritized when we are all in close contact with each other."
Medical and psychiatric personnel in the prisons have already been vaccinated, as they are part of the health sector. But the contact with inmates is the same for everyone, so this made no sense.
"This creates a two-tier system, even as both do the same jobs in the same locations. The contact is the same. It seems almost ethically objectionable to make this choice. They should stop making these decisions by work sector, but instead by location," says Samir Djennas, pointing out that the protection of vulnerable inmates was an important factor. If prison guards are able to get vaccinated, they can also set a good example and help dispel doubts that inmates may have.
Additionally, prison guards are in contact with incoming inmates in quarantine, who will not yet be vaccinated, which further puts them at risk. Around 400 people are currently employed as prison guards, with 250 working in close contact with inmates. Recruitment plans are another reason to vaccinate current personnel.
