Prairie State Wire

Illinois has become one of the few states that is providing early access to COVID-19 vaccination for prison inmates. 

Inmates were originally scheduled to start receiving the vaccine in Phase 2 of the state's vaccination plan, but after pressured by prisoner advocates Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently moved them up in line, a plan that some critics say buck CDC guideline.

“When the State moves into Phase1b of its vaccination plan, each correctional facility will work with its local health department to determine a schedule. IDOC is working with IDPH to finalize details of its plan; it will be released publicly at that time," the Illinois Department of Corrections recently told WGN. 

Health care workers were the first to receive vaccinations, as were the sick and elderly in long-term care institutions.

According to Pritzker’s new plan, prisoners will receive vaccinations before those who have heart conditions, kidney failure, cancer and other health conditions. Prisoners will also get advance vaccinations before essential workers at restaurants, gyms, factories and salons — even though these individuals have increased exposure to the virus.

“I was shocked, frankly,” Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods), told WCIA. “What the governor has been talking this entire time about his priority of saving lives; and yet in this case, he is prioritizing trying to decrease transmission over really decreasing mortality.”

McConchie called the decision immoral, as inmates in prison for committing crimes are being given special treatment above law-abiding citizens.

“A 20-year-old convicted murderer who is going to be spending life in prison is going to get the vaccine faster than people who are on the outside — law abiding citizens,” McConchie told WCIA. “Not only do I think that’s wrong, I think it’s immoral.

“This is something that really goes against the not only CDC guidelines but really the plethora of medical science out there."

The CDC guidelines don't lay out a timeline for when inmates should be vaccinated but say they should receive the shots in the same phase as guards and other prison workers. 

In contrast, the Rev. Michael Atty noted the belief in protecting all lives and the required humanity that the government is called to administer.

“As a Christian, as a person of faith, Jesus the Christ said, ‘What you do to the least of these, you do you do also to me,’” Atty told WCIA. “So, morally, it is our responsibility as (a) community, as the city, as the citizens, to take care of those who the widows, the orphans, our children, our elders, those who are incarcerated, paying back their debt to society.”