Public healthHalf of U.S. jails not in national vaccination campaign

Half of U.S. jail inmates are not included in vaccination programs // Source: presstv.ir

A new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that more than half of U.S. jails are not included in the national flu vaccine campaign, despite the fact that jail and prison inmates are at increased risk of catching infectious diseases.

Researchers conducted their study during the 2009 H1N1 swine flu outbreak and found that 55 percent of U.S. jails received no vaccines, while 14 percent of federal prisons and 11 percent of state prisons did not receive inoculations.

The CDC warned that vaccinating prison populations was critical in the event of an outbreak for overall public health as inoculations would help not just the inmates but also correctional workers, health-care providers, and law enforcement officials.

With a steady stream of new arrivals and large numbers of individuals living in close quarters, infectious diseases can easily spread to inmates and support staff.

“Including both jail and prison inmates in emergency preparedness efforts, especially vaccination campaigns, is important for the health of communities overall,” the report said. “Although most jail entrants are healthy men, jail populations can include those in the highest risk categories for influenza, such as pregnant women.”

Over the course of a year roughly 10 million people spend time in correctional facilities and many are eventually released into the public where they often do not have access to health care services. As a result, vaccinating inmates is critical for overall public health.

“Meeting the need for adequate vaccine delivery to jails can affect the health of inmates and the general population,” the report concluded. “The experience of vaccine distribution for the H1N1 influenza pandemic highlights the importance of including correctional health-care leaders in emergency pandemic planning.”