Over 200 Delhi jail inmates vaccinated against COVID-19 so far, no adverse events

A total of 326 inmates in the Delhi's prisons are above 60 years, and over 300 in the 45-59 age bracket with comorbidities. These two categories are eligible for vaccination in the ongoing nationwide drive. 

Earlier, the Delhi Prisons Department had set up a COVID-19 vaccination centre inside Tihar Jail to vaccinate the inmates. It was set up in the central jail hospital at jail number 3, they said. 

Director General (Prisons) Sandeep Goel said, "Around 160 inmates in Tihar jail and around 40 in Rohini and Mandoli jails have been vaccinates so far." 

The vaccination drive for prison inmates started on March 18. The officials said they are sending inmates of Rohini and Mandoli jails to the nearest government vaccination centre under police protection for taking jabs. 

According to a senior jail official, the family members of eligible inmates were asked to send the required documents through WhatsApp to jail officer's mobile number for the vaccination process. 

"We spoke to the families of the inmates… asked them to send the documents required for the registration through WhatsApp and then vaccinated them," a senior jail official said. 

None of the inmates who has received the jab reported any complications, the official said. 

On March 1, the second phase of the COVID-19 vaccination drive began in the national capital. In the first phase, starting January 16, over 3.6 lakh beneficiaries comprising healthcare workers and frontline workers, were vaccinated in Delhi.