Association of State COVID-19 Vaccination Prioritization With Vaccination Rates Among Incarcerated Persons

Abstract

This cross-sectional study examines the association between prioritization of COVID-19 vaccination for state prison systems and the rate of vaccination among incarcerated persons.

COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy and uptake: Perspectives from people released from the Federal Bureau of Prisons

“…However, vaccination uptake among residents was not significantly higher in states that prioritized incarcerated people compared to states that did not. [ 11 ] While vaccination rates initially reflected supply, other factors have continued to affect vaccine acceptance. In the US, vaccine mistrust has been closely linked to broader cultural and political divisions in society.…”

Incarcerated in a Pandemic: How COVID-19 Exacerbated the “Pains of Imprisonment”

“…However, the limited supply of vaccines and lack of prioritization put incarcerated individuals at heightened risk (Quandt, 2020; Ramaswamy et al, 2021; Spaulding & Zawitz, 2022; Wang et al, 2021). Several studies examined vaccine allocation to correctional populations (Herring & Widra, 2021; Peterson et al, 2021) and noted that incarcerated individuals were ineligible for vaccination until the end of 2020 (Biondi et al, 2022; Strodel et al, 2021).…”

Correctional Healthcare — an Engine of Health Inequity

“…A recent analysis of state COVID-19 vaccination policies reported that approximately 15 of 36 US states analyzed did not prioritize incarcerated populations for COVID-19 vaccination. 4 Crucially, the failure to prioritize incarcerated people in state COVID-19 vaccination policies reduces access to this vital prophylactic, which raises incarcerated populations' susceptibility to infection and serious illness. Indeed, states that prioritized COVID-19 vaccination for incarcerated populations in early 2021 exhibited higher vaccination rates among incarcerated people relative to those that prioritized vaccinating this population later or not at all.…”

“…Indeed, states that prioritized COVID-19 vaccination for incarcerated populations in early 2021 exhibited higher vaccination rates among incarcerated people relative to those that prioritized vaccinating this population later or not at all. 4 Jails and prisons have long been plagued by other factors conducive to COVID-19 transmission and mortality, including overcrowded congregate living settings and poor underlying health among their populations. 5 Divergent compliance with COVID-19 quarantine protocols, as well as inadequate prioritization of vaccination among incarcerated populations, only exacerbates these extant issues.…”