North Carolina Prisons Offer Incentives for Offenders to Get Vaccine

Most North Carolina prisoners can get five days knocked off their sentences if they receive COVID-19 vaccinations, state corrections officials said on Friday.

A package of incentives, which also include extra visitations and a free 10-minute phone call, were unveiled a few weeks after prison leaders said they were considering ways to motivate prisoners to obtain the two necessary doses.

“We think we’ve put together a high impact package,” Commissioner of Prisons Todd Ishee said, according to WRAL-TV.

About 21,000 of the 29,000 offenders behind bars are eligible for sentence reductions. Those who aren’t would receive $5 prison canteen credits.

The system has received 3,300 vaccine doses from the state, prison spokesman Brad Deen said Friday, with another 2,000 doses expected next week. Vaccinations are currently voluntary for prisoners and staff.

While 850 offenders have received their first dose so far, about 2,800 of the 14,100 staffers have taken their first shots, the Department of Public Safety said. The staff total includes people who received doses that were separate from the prisons’ supply.

About 530 prisoners have active COVID-19 cases, and eight offenders are hospitalized, the department said Friday. Forty-two prisoners have suffered COVID-related deaths during the pandemic, the department said.

Photo via AP Photo/Hans Pennink.

‹

On Measles, Orange County Wants to Bring 'Immunity to the Community'

Later this month, Orange County is hosting a public symposium on measles, part of a push to urge parents to get their kids vaccinated.

As Measles Cases Mount in the US, What’s the Situation Worldwide?

The U.S. registered its first death from measles since 2015 this week. While more common globally, the virus' numbers are up in recent years.

Chatham County Health Director Talks Vaccination Trends, Omicron Spread

Roughly two years into the pandemic, the COVID-19 response locally and nationally continues to change as new variants emerge and cases spike.

UNC Employees Required To Get a COVID Vaccine by Early December

Under President Biden’s September Executive Order, UNC employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by early December. Those who do not comply may face disciplinary action from the university. Biden’s Executive Order 14042 and guidance issued by the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force requires employees of federal contractors to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 no later than […]

Gov. Cooper Visits Carrboro's Pizzeria Mercato, Promotes COVID-19 Vaccinations

Governor Roy Cooper visited a restaurant in Carrboro this week to promote COVID-19 vaccinations and encourage businesses to enact their own vaccine mandates. On Thursday, Cooper stopped by Pizzeria Mercato for a news conference. Mercato was one of the first restaurants in the area to require proof of vaccination against the coronavirus for patrons to […]

OC Health Department Aims to Increase Vaccinations, Holds Pop-Up Clinics

Orange County health officials are working to get more residents vaccinated - including pop-up clinics this Saturday at three middle schools.

Biden Aims to Vaccinate 70% Of American Adults by July 4

Written by ZEKE MILLER and JONATHAN LEMIRE President Joe Biden on Tuesday set a new vaccination goal to deliver at least one shot to 70% of adult Americans by July Fourth as he tackles the vexing problem of winning over the “doubters” and those unmotivated to get inoculated. Demand for vaccines has dropped off markedly nationwide, […]

In Israel and Beyond, Virus Vaccines Bring Political Power

Forget about oil and arms. Coronavirus vaccines are emerging as the newest currency of choice in the Middle East. Israel’s reopening of its economy, combined with a murky prisoner swap with Syria and the arrival of a batch of vaccines in the Gaza Strip, have all underscored how those with access to the vaccines have […]

Japan Starts COVID-19 Vaccinations With Eye on Olympics

Japan launched its coronavirus vaccination campaign Wednesday, months after other major economies started giving shots and amid questions about whether the drive would reach enough people quickly enough to save a Summer Olympics already delayed by the pandemic. Despite a recent rise in infections, Japan has largely dodged the kind of cataclysm that has battered […]

North Carolina Prisons Offer Incentives for Offenders to Get Vaccine

Most North Carolina prisoners can get five days knocked off their sentences if they receive COVID-19 vaccinations, state corrections officials said on Friday. A package of incentives, which also include extra visitations and a free 10-minute phone call, were unveiled a few weeks after prison leaders said they were considering ways to motivate prisoners to […]

›