When Israel began to vaccinate its citizens against Covid-19 in December, the Ministry of Health set aside doses for incarcerated people 60 and above, in line with its national guidelines prioritising the age group.
They are still sitting in freezers. The minister in charge of Israel's prison services is refusing to allocate coronavirus vaccines to inmates, said epidemiologist Hagai Levine, who before resigning last week over issues with the government's pandemic response was a member of the country's coronavirus task force.
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Prisons have been Covid-19 hotspots worldwide.
While other examples are not always so stark, the situation in Israel mirrors a tendency around the world. Prisoners, given the challenges to social distancing, are especially at risk of contracting the coronavirus. But many countries have not prioritised their inoculation.