Science & Medicine
(2009-10-12)
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(photo by Steve Carmody, Michigan Radio)
Michigan's prisons are preparing for a possible swine flu outbreak. But, the plan does not include vaccinating the state's 46 thousand inmates against the H1N1 virus.
Michigan prison inmates live in close contact with one another. That makes the transmission of a flu bug likely. So far though the department has no confirmed reports of inmates testing positive for the Swine Flu virus.
Corrections officials are putting the finishing touches on a response plan if inmates start falling ill. The plan now would restrict H1N1 vaccinations to inmates who are either pregnant or have compromised immune systems.
John Cordell is a Corrections Department spokesman. He says prison health care staff will also get flu shots.
"People who would be dealing most closely with prisoners, especially contagious prisoners, would also be inoculated," says Cordell.
The Michigan Corrections Department has not yet received a vaccine shipment from the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. © Copyright 2010, Michigan Radio
