Inmates at DeKalb County jail start getting vaccinated

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office says employees and inmates have started the process of being vaccinated.

At least 55 inmates voluntarily got vaccinated this week and the sheriff’s office said requests for the shot are increasing daily.

“Educational sessions by Wellpath, our inmate health services provider, have helped inmates make informed decisions about taking advantage of this opportunity while in our custody,” says DeKalb Sheriff Melody M. Maddox.

[SPECIAL SECTION: COVID-19 Vaccine in Georgia]

There are currently no positive cases of the virus among inmates at the jail. There have been 284 positive cases among inmates and 125 positive cases among employees and vendors since the start of the pandemic. No on at the jail has died of COVID-19.

New inmates at the jail are quarantined in temporary housing when they arrive before they can interact with other inmates.

If an inmate chooses to be vaccinated for COVID-19 while in custody and is released before receiving the second dose, the agency provides a vaccination card with information on where the second dose is available.

[LINK: Where to find the COVID-19 vaccine in Georgia]