Covid-19 vaccination centre set up inside Delhi's Tihar Jail

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

The Delhi Prisons Department has set up a Covid-19 vaccination centre inside Tihar Jail to vaccinate eligible inmates, officials said on Sunday.

According to jail officials, around 70 to 80 inmates of Tihar, Rohini and Mandoli jails have been vaccinated so far. (Vipin Kumar/HT file photo)

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

The centre was set up on Tuesday in the central jail hospital at jail number 3, they said.

According to jail officials, around 70 to 80 inmates of Tihar, Rohini and Mandoli jails have been vaccinated so far.

Director General (Prisons) Sandeep Goel said, if needed, a vaccination centre will be opened at Mandoli Jail too.

"Our teams from the central jail hospital in jail number 3 will visit the inmates at Rohini and Mandoli Jails to vaccinate them starting next week. If needed, a vaccination centre will also be opened at Mandoli Jail," Goel said.

Earlier, Tihar Jail inmates were taken to the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for the vaccination.

The vaccination drive for prison inmates started on March 18 and 13 inmates got the Covid-19 jab on day one.

According to a senior jail official, family members of inmates eligible for getting vaccinated were asked to send the required documents through WhatsApp messaging app.

"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 have received the jab reported any complications, the official said.

However, the officials said there are several inmates who do not have the required documents for the vaccination process.

"Due to which they were not selected for the shot. We are trying to figure out how they will be vaccinated," another 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.