H1N1 in Jails, Prison

[Shiloh]

Re: H1N1 in Jails, Prison

Source: http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/mi....State.Prisons.
(Click on source to listen)

Swine Flu & State Prisons
Steve Carmody (2009-10-12)


ANN ARBOR, MI (Michigan Radio) -

Michigan's prisons are preparing for a possible swine flu outbreak. But, the plan does not include vaccinating the state's 46 thousand inmates against the H1N1 virus.

Michigan prison inmates live in close contact with one another. That makes the transmission of a flu bug likely. So far though the department has no confirmed reports of inmates testing positive for the Swine Flu virus.

Corrections officials are putting the finishing touches on a response plan if inmates start falling ill. The plan now would restrict H1N1 vaccinations to inmates who are either pregnant or have compromised immune systems.

John Cordell is a Corrections Department spokesman. He says prison health care staff will also get flu shots.

"People who would be dealing most closely with prisoners, especially contagious prisoners, would also be inoculated," says Cordell.

The Michigan Corrections Department has not yet received a vaccine shipment from the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. ? Copyright 2009, Michigan Radio

[North44]

Re: H1N1 in Jails, Prison

Source: http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/mi....State.Prisons.
(Click on source to listen)

Swine Flu & State Prisons
Steve Carmody (2009-10-12)


ANN ARBOR, MI (Michigan Radio) -

Michigan's prisons are preparing for a possible swine flu outbreak. But, the plan does not include vaccinating the state's 46 thousand inmates against the H1N1 virus.
Michigan prison inmates live in close contact with one another. That makes the transmission of a flu bug likely. So far though the department has no confirmed reports of inmates testing positive for the Swine Flu virus.

Corrections officials are putting the finishing touches on a response plan if inmates start falling ill. The plan now would restrict H1N1 vaccinations to inmates who are either pregnant or have compromised immune systems.

John Cordell is a Corrections Department spokesman. He says prison health care staff will also get flu shots.

"People who would be dealing most closely with prisoners, especially contagious prisoners, would also be inoculated," says Cordell.

The Michigan Corrections Department has not yet received a vaccine shipment from the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. ? Copyright 2009, Michigan Radio

What is the rationale for not vaccinating inmates? Is this a country-wide policy?

[sharon sanders]

Re: H1N1 in Jails, Prison

Inhumane.

[Shiloh]

Re: H1N1 in Jails, Prison

Source: http://www.therepublic.com/main.asp?...ticleID=138168

(INDIANA)
0/13/2009 7:48:00 AM
Work-release center shut down over swine flu outbreak

CROWN POINT - Officials in northwestern Indiana's Lake County confined about 160 inmates at a work-release center after one inmate was hospitalized with severe flu symptoms.

Lake County Community Corrections director Kellie Bittorf says the illness wasn't immediately confirmed as swine flu but that the staff was taking necessary precautions.

Convicted criminals serving their sentences in the Crown Point center have been barred from leaving for work or receiving visitors since Saturday.

The lock down does include a separate work-release program with about 150 inmates operated by the Lake County Sheriff's Department in the same building.

[Shiloh]

Re: H1N1 in Jails, Prison

Source: http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/hea...ositive_101309

Deputies: Pasco inmate has swine flu

Updated: Tuesday, 13 Oct 2009, 11:52 AM EDT
Published : Tuesday, 13 Oct 2009, 11:43 AM EDT

LAND O' LAKES - An inmate at the Pasco County Sheriff's Office detention center has tested positive for the swine flu.

The inmate, whose name has not been released, was being held in the general population at the Land O' Lakes facility until he notified a nurse he had flu-like symptoms on October 7, according to a news release.

Deputies said the inmate was moved into the medical wing and he was tested for the H1N1 virus. They recieved the positive results back Monday.

Nurses have also been monitoring the other inmates, but there have been no other complaints or indications anyone else has contracted the disease, the sheriff's office said.

Deputies said it is the first known positive case in the Pasco detention center since the swine flu outbreak.

[JimO]

Re: H1N1 in Jails, Prison

What is the rationale for not vaccinating inmates? Is this a country-wide policy?

Each state will make that call for state prison sytems and the federal government will make the decision for federal prisons.

It's probably a very sensitive issue if there is a potential shortage of vaccines. Imagine the outcry if all inmates in a state were vaccinated and others had to go without. It creates a tremendous dilemma for prison authorities. I just hope there are enough vaccines so that everyone who wants one can get one.

[Snowy Owl]

Re: H1N1 in Jails, Prison

Here in Quebec Civil Crime and Criminal Crimes with sentences of 2 years less one day are under Quebec Juridiction, above 2 years it becomes a Federal Juridiction (not sure it is the same in other provinces Quebec have a distinct civil code from the rest of Canada, the Civil Code, France Legacy for New-France accepted by the British in the Peace Traity.

Snowy

[North44]

Re: H1N1 in Jails, Prison

Each state will make that call for state prison sytems and the federal government will make the decision for federal prisons.

It's probably a very sensitive issue if there is a potential shortage of vaccines. Imagine the outcry if all inmates in a state were vaccinated and others had to go without. It creates a tremendous dilemma for prison authorities. I just hope there are enough vaccines so that everyone who wants one can get one.

I agree that high risk groups require earliest vaccination. But, after that, prison inmates should receive their allotment of vaccine, the same as the rest of the population. Their risk actually would be higher because of living in "crowded dormitories". Do you think, if there was an outbreak in a prison, it would not spread to the surrounding population?

[Snowy Owl]

Re: H1N1 in Jails, Prison

North44

They still legally kill prisonners in Us.

Snowy

[JimO]

Re: H1N1 in Jails, Prison

I agree that high risk groups require earliest vaccination. But, after that, prison inmates should receive their allotment of vaccine, the same as the rest of the population. Their risk actually would be higher because of living in "crowded dormitories". Do you think, if there was an outbreak in a prison, it would not spread to the surrounding population?

I'm not trying to imply that inmates have as much, the same, or more right to be vaccinated due to their circumstances. I'm just certain that there would be problems if there aren't enough vaccines to go around.

[JimO]

Re: H1N1 in Jails, Prison

North44

They still legally kill prisonners in Us.

Snowy

True in a very small fraction of cases. I'm not a proponent of the death penalty, mind you, but let's not forget that many inmates murdered, raped, etc. other human beings, many with no mercy and no remorse. My sister was murdered when I was a child by a man like that. Frankly, victims' families would very likely have a real difficult time dealing with widespread immunization of prison inmates if they themselves could not get vaccinated. Whether this is an unjust or incompassionate way of thinking or not doesn't change the simple fact that if there are not enough vaccines to go around, there will be problems in such circumstances. That was my only point.

[North44]

Re: H1N1 in Jails, Prison

Point taken.

[Hogweed]

Re: H1N1 in Jails, Prison

"Cruel and Unusual Punishment"?

[mixin]

Re: H1N1 in Jails, Prison

I would think it would be easier to control in institutions and that may be part of the reason for the vax policy.

However, if there isn't enough, tough decisions have to be made. If we choose to vax murders and rapists (even if the are in the top tiers) before pregnant women and children, I think more than just the victims families will have a problem with that. Well, then we get into even more moral issues... do we vax white collar crimes before violent ones?

Hogweed: I sometimes wonder if there ever is punishment enough for heinous crimes.

[Shiloh]

Re: H1N1 in Jails, Prison

Source: http://kdrv.com/page/144869

S. Oregon jails prepare for swine flu

By Steven Sandberg

October 13, 2009

MEDFORD, Ore. - Southern Oregon jails have plans in place to try to limit the potential spread of swine flu among inmates.

Although no inmates at Jackson and Josephine county jails have shown symptoms, the jails already know what they will do if the event arises.

The H1N1 vaccine is also available to inmates, but it will only be given to those on the vaccine priority list, and will also depend on the supply the county has on hand. In the event of a serious outbreak in a jail, it would go into lockdown.

"There would not be internal movement, there wouldn't be library, there wouldn't be church, there wouldn't be programs and services. We would just keep them in their cells, feed them in their cells, limit the contact that they have with other inmates the best we can to try to contain the spread," said Christine Dismukes, Administrative Sgt. with the Corrections Division.

New inmates are given a medical exam upon entering the jail. If anyone shows flu symptoms they are immediately isolated from the general population.