The main gate of the General Santos City Jail in Purok Lanton, Barangay Apopong (PNA GenSan file photo)
GENERAL SANTOS CITY – The city government has started the vaccination of vulnerable inmates or persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) here against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Jail Inspector Marivic Rivera Verona, warden of the city jail’s female dormitory, said a total of 169 PDLs have already been inoculated against the disease as of Thursday through the City Health Office.
She said this comprised 147 male and 22 female PDLs under priority groups A2 (senior citizens) and A3 (persons with comorbidities).
The inmates were inoculated with Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose Janssen vaccines provided by the national government, she said.
“We’re hoping that more PDLs will also be vaccinated soon so they can also be protected against the disease,” Verona said in a report.
The city jail, which is situated in Purok Lanton of Barangay Apopong, has a total of 1,267 inmates, 138 of whom are female.
Some 56 PDLs of the city jail contracted Covid-19 last May but were mostly asymptomatic and all of them have fully recovered.
The official said they have not recorded additional infections following the previous outbreak, which was traced to newly committed detainees from city police Station 4 in Barangay San Isidro.
She said they adopted stricter measures to prevent the entry of the disease, among them the restriction of visitation privileges and the Covid-19 antigen testing for incoming detainees from local police stations.
Verona said they have sustained the electronic or “e-dalaw” system for the PDLs and implemented the virtual hearing for those undergoing trial in coordination with the local courts.
She said they regularly monitor the health status of their inmates and have been providing them with vitamin supplements.
Verona said 24 of their 25 personnel were already vaccinated against Covid-19 using AstraZeneca and Sinovac’s CoronaVac vaccines. (PNA)
