COVID-19 Vaccination Program
Date: June 4, 2021
Classification: Unclassified
Fully releasable (ATIP)? Yes
Branch/Agency: CSC
Proposed Response:
- The Correctional Service of Canada is committed to protecting the health and safety of staff, inmates, and the public during these unprecedented times.
- The Service has worked very closely with the Public Health Agency of Canada to respond to the pandemic, including the provision of vaccines to inmates.
- Under the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, the Correctional Service of Canada has an obligation to provide essential health care to the approximately 12,500 inmates in correctional institutions across the country.
- The Correctional Service Canada’s vaccination strategy follows the advice of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization. It supports the timely allocation, distribution and administration of the vaccine for those in federal care as efficiently, safely and equitably as possible.
- In January, the Service began vaccinating federal offenders, starting with the oldest and most vulnerable. In April, it offered vaccines to all remaining offenders in its 43 institutions and 14 Community Correctional Centers, as per National Advisory Committee on Immunization guidelines.
- As of May 31, 75% of the offender population has received at least one dose of the vaccine.
- The Service has also offered the vaccine to employees in correctional institutions and Community Correctional Centers who work closely with offenders and had not yet received it by their provincial health authority.
- The Service continues to be vigilant in applying infection prevention and control measures, including enhanced cleaning protocols, providing staff, inmates and anyone entering the sites with masks, if necessary, continuing ongoing education about hygiene, physical distancing and monitoring symptoms, COVID-19 testing, and contact tracing.
Background:
On January 8, 2021, the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) began vaccinating inmates against COVID-19 in accordance with guidelines established by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI). Clinics were organized by medical staff to ensure elderly, medically vulnerable inmates were able to access the vaccine.
Procurement
CSC received doses of the Moderna vaccine, allowing CSC to begin vaccinating elderly, medically vulnerable inmates in January 2021. CSC receives vaccines from Health Canada as they become available and will continue to vaccinate inmates. CSC has the necessary supplies for administering the Moderna vaccine, including syringes and alcohol wipes, provided by the Public Health Agency of Canada’s national inventory. CSC has monitored freezers (-20C) for COVID-19 vaccines storage at its regional pharmacies. Vaccines will be sent to health care units as necessary.
Vaccination Strategy
CSC established an integrated risk management process where, on an ongoing basis, decisions about its operations are made in close collaboration with public health authorities, unions, Elders, and stakeholders to prevent and mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
CSC is responsible for offering vaccines to all federally-incarcerated individuals. As per NACI guidelines, elderly, medically vulnerable federal inmates were offered a vaccine during phase I. CSC is on track to vaccinate to all federally-incarcerated individuals before end of year 2021. Offenders in the community will be vaccinated by the provincial and territorial health authority.
The NACI has identified people living and working in congregate living environments, such as correctional institutions and Community Correctional Centres (CCCs), as priority populations for phase II of the vaccine rollout. Since mid-April, CSC has been vaccinating federal offenders who have not already received the vaccination in 43 institutions and 14 CCCs. The vaccine is also being offered to employees in correctional institutions and CCCs who work closely with offenders and have not yet been identified as eligible for vaccination by their province.
As of May 31, 2021, 80% of offenders at the women’s institutions and 74% of offenders at the men’s sites have received their first dose of the vaccine. CSC anticipates having the majority of offenders vaccinated with the first dose by early May 2021. The second doses will follow in accordance with the NACI guidelines, no later than four months following the administration of the first dose.
During each phase of vaccination for offender population, CSC provided offenders at all sites with information on COVID-19, vaccine safety and effectiveness, and how the vaccine can limit the severity of the virus. CSC also distributed information and health care staff were available to answer any questions from offenders prior to consenting to the vaccine. CSC works with Public Health Agency Canada to provide accurate and timely information to offenders.
Contacts:
Prepared by: Raj Oberoi, Officer, Parliamentary Relations
Approved by: Kirstan Gagnon, Assistant Commissioner, Communications and Engagement, 613-995-6867
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