DRAPER, Utah — Nearly all of the inmates of age 70 or older at the Utah State Prison have begun receiving their COVID-19 vaccinations, the Utah Department of Corrections reports.
A clinical services team screened the eligible inmates and offered them the vaccine last week, and 79 inmates agreed to receive it.
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“I think the (danger) with COVID is worse than any problems with the vaccine,” said 70-year-old inmate Nghia Cano.
Those inmates who agreed to receive the vaccine began receiving their doses Monday, a news release from UDC says.
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According to UDC, inmates have shown that they're well aware of the effects of COVID-19 on older people and those with underlying medical conditions.
“Oh, yeah, it’s very relevant,” said Craig Jensen, a registered nurse who is the infectious disease coordinator for the Clinical Services Bureau, the UDC’s medical arm. “It’s a concern to them. They ask questions all the time. They know they are high risk.”
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