Thread by @JoshuaBHoe

Here is the problem with the new NY plan for vaccinating people in prisons

1) EVERYONE IN PRISON is high risk - not just people over 65 (see CDC)

2) It was forced by a lawsuit

Regardless, it is a good start, but EVERYONE in prison is at high risk and should be prioritized

People will ask, "why should people in prison be prioritized?"

That is easy, people in prison are not able to look after their own health care or socially distance, are 7X more likely to catch COVID and 3X more likely to die from it...nobody was sentenced to die from #COVID19

Prison is also permeable and we are not sure vaccinations prevent transmissions....if people inside have #COVID19, correctional staff bring #COVID19 IN and OUT....the best hope is ensuring people are vaccinated

People will ask, "why should people in prison be prioritized in front of people in other congregant settings?"

Nobody is arguing for that, people are arguing that ALL people at high risk - including people in prison - should be prioritized....which is how Triage works....

The argument is that EVERYONE who is at high risk should be prioritized FIRST and then everyone in lower-risk categories.

It is not a competition, and if it is a competition it is not one advocates are creating

People will ask, "how can people in prisons get vaccines when there are not enough vaccines?"

The answer is that they can't, but WHEN vaccines are available people at high-risk should be prioritized and people in prison are high-risk (see CDC)

Finally, @NYGovCuomo should not be dragged kicking and screaming to this....he has been saying since day one "follow the science"

You know, this science....

And yes, this is from the CDC

cdc.gov/coronavirus/20….

So, when you ask, "why are you complaining, some incarcerated people are getting vaccinated?"

EVERYONE in prison is at high-risk of #COVID19 and people are dying at an incredible rate (3X the general population)

So, limiting it to people over 65 is not enough