US 'Murder and Rape Prison Inmates' Vaccine Privilege Controversy: "Unfair" vs "For Disease Control"

Vaccinations for Inmates Already Started in 5 States Including New Jersey and Washington
US Experts Say "It's Time for Mathematical Calculations, Not Moral Debates"

An inmate at Cook County Jail in Chicago, Illinois, USA, is pressing their hand against the window with a message saying "Help me." Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Hana Na] About 10 U.S. states have planned to vaccinate prison inmates before high-risk groups such as the elderly and those with underlying conditions, sparking ongoing debate.

The Washington Post (WP) reported on the 3rd (local time) that there is strong criticism of some state governments' vaccination policies that include inmates in the vaccine priority list.

Commentator George Brotzler, who wrote a column in a Colorado daily newspaper last November, said, "According to the Colorado Department of Public Health's vaccination plan, inmates who committed murder, rape, and child abuse will be vaccinated before law-abiding seniors aged 65 and older and decent citizens," adding, "As a son with a 78-year-old father, I ask, Governor Jared Polis, what kind of madness is this?"

Brotzler added, "Innocent Colorado seniors can only be freed from the fear of infection after the criminal Nathan Dunlap, who killed four people in a mass shooting, is vaccinated."

Netizens who saw this demanded the state government withdraw the policy, arguing that 'vaccine privileges' should not be given to violent criminals, mentioning the names of notorious criminals like Dunlap.

As the controversy grew, state authorities quickly withdrew the measure. According to the original plan, the first priority for vaccination was medical personnel and hospitalized patients, with inmates as the second priority, but after the controversy, the second priority group was changed to seniors aged 70 and older.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis stated at a press conference on the 3rd of last month, "The amount of vaccine is limited," and "There will never be a share for prisoners before all innocent citizens are vaccinated."

Meanwhile, WP reported that among the 50 U.S. states, 12 plan to vaccinate inmates before citizens.

Five states, including New Jersey and Washington, have already started vaccinating inmates. Seven states, including Connecticut, Delaware, and Pennsylvania, designated inmates as the second priority group for vaccination.

According to U.S. experts, vaccination of inmates should be expedited for effective quarantine. Matthew Wynia, director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Colorado, pointed out, "There is strong dissatisfaction that heinous criminals do not deserve to be vaccinated," but added, "However, now is the time to do mathematical calculations, not moral debates."

He warned, "Among the top 15 cases with many cluster infections, 14 occurred in prisons and college dormitories," and "If inmates are ignored, the COVID-19 pandemic will last longer and more people will die."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.