Vaccinating Inmates Is Good For Public Health. Why Aren't More States Doing It?
Vaccinating Inmates Is Good For Public Health. Why Aren't More States Doing It?
Inmates clean prison cells at Las Colinas Women's Detention Facility in Santee, California, on April 22. Sandy Huffaker/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
Inmates clean prison cells at Las Colinas Women's Detention Facility in Santee, California, on April 22.
Sandy Huffaker/AFP via Getty ImagesPrisons and jails are hotbeds for COVID-19. Public health experts say they should be given early access to a coronavirus vaccine. But only six states have prioritized vaccination for people who are incarcerated.
Sharon Dolovich, director of UCLA's Prison Law & Policy Program, tells NPR why the debate over vaccinating inmates is a particularly American one.
In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment that will help you make sense of what's going on in your community.
Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
This episode was produced by Becky Sullivan, Brent Baughman, Lee Hale, and Brianna Scott. It was edited by Jolie Myers and Sami Yenigun. Our executive producer is Cara Tallo.