West Virginia Public Broadcasting – More than half of the correctional employees in West Virginia have opted out of taking the COVID-19 vaccine, despite being prioritized by state health officials. Read the full article.
They work with more than 9,800 incarcerated people who have not been prioritized in the state’s vaccine rollout plan, against a backdrop of several recent and ongoing COVID-19 outbreaks in state jails and prisons.
“I was disappointed that so many people were refusing the initial vaccine, whether through misinformation or fear,” said Matthew Brock, president of CWA Local 2055, the union representing state correctional employees. “It’s hard for me to understand. We’re hoping to increase awareness and allay people’s fears.”
More than 1,200 of the state’s 3,300 correctional employees have opted to get the vaccine so far, according to the state Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or roughly 36% of the agency’s staff.
