All the inmates in the Central Jail here have been vaccinated against COVID-19. The prison staff and their family members have also been covered under the drive.
According to the jail authorities, around 1,750 persons were given the vaccine in phases, which included 1,370 inmates and around 400 staff and their family members. About 200 of them completed their two doses of the vaccine.
According to the Superintendent of the jail, S Rahul, since the beginning of the pandemic they have been educating the inmates on the COVID-appropriate behaviour and ensuring that physical distancing is maintained.
Other measures like release of some prisoners temporarily, and cancellation of general meetings of outsiders/family members with the inmates were also taken to prevent the spread of the virus. But still, many prisoners got infected.
“Usually, any inmate who falls sick is taken to King George Hospital (KGH) for treatment. We presume some prisoners might have contracted the virus there. Slowly, the number of COVID-19 cases increased to 62 in the prison necessitating the creation of an isolation block. Doctors from the Health Department monitored their treatment,” said the SP.
Protein diet was provided to the inmates during the isolation period and their body temperatures and oxygen saturation levels were monitored thrice a day. “Early testing, medication and proper monitoring helped every inmate recover from the virus without any issue,” he said.
Apart from the inmates, about 15 jail staff were also affected by COVID-19 and cured too, he added.
