Oregon will begin vaccinating its inmates against COVID-19 after a federal judge ruled Tuesday that the state’s prison population should be prioritized, Oregon Live reported.
The ruling bumps inmates in phase 1a, group 2 of the vaccine, giving them the same priority as those living in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. Previously, only employees of correctional facilities were included in the category, according to the Oregon Health Authority.
“Our constitutional rights are not suspended during a crisis,” federal magistrate Stacie Beckerman wrote in her Tuesday opinion, The New York Times reported. “On the contrary, we must remain most vigilant during difficult times to protect the constitutional rights of the powerless. The state must even fulfill its duty to protect those in detention, even when confronted with limited resources.”
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown
Kate Brown Overnight Health Care: Biden unveils vaccine plan focusing on mass vaccinations Global coronavirus deaths pass 2 million CDC: A new variant could be a dominant U.S. strain by March. Governors say there will be no additional vaccine doses, despite the promise of Trump admin. At least 6 GOP lawmakers participate in MORE Trump-inspired protests (D) said she would not fight the order.
“The court’s ruling is clear, and the state has decided not to appeal,” Charles Boyle, a spokesman for the governors’ office, told The Hill on Wednesday.
Boyle noted that the majority of inmates fell before the court order in Phase 1b.
“As the court’s ruling requires an accelerated timeline and makes it clear that vaccinations should be offered to adults in detention with Phase 1a priority, we will continue with a weekly approach that will integrate adults in detention into our Phase 1a distribution plans. , “he said.
Boyle said the survey of the approximately 12,000 inmates would not be predicted to affect the distribution of vaccines to others, including educators and the elderly, but ultimately “that depends on the weekly vaccine supply we receive from the federal government.”
Brown has previously been criticized for her efforts to get educators vaccinated, prioritizing them over Oregon’s seniors, Fox News reports.
Brown defended her actions in a tweet, writing, “My decision to vaccinate Oregon’s educators, school staff, and childminders is simple: I use every tool to get our children back into the classroom this school year.”
My decision to vaccinate Oregon’s educators, school staff, and child caregivers is simple: I use every tool we have to get our kids back in the classroom this school year.
– Governor Kate Brown (@OregonGovBrown) 23 January 2021
Earlier in a January 27 tweet, Brown promised that all Category 1a citizens should be vaccinated by February 8 – a deadline that apparently remains in effect.
Other provinces have done a fantastic job completing their first round of vaccination for Phase 1a populations, and we will strive to give first doses to all Phase 1a individuals nationwide before 8 February.
– Governor Kate Brown (@OregonGovBrown) 27 January 2021
According to Oregon Live, 3,392 cases of COVID-19 have been recorded and 42 deaths have been confirmed in Oregon prisons since the beginning of the pandemic.