Over 3,000 inmates in Ilocos region vaccinated vs COVID-19

An inmate in Ilocos Sur provincial jail gets a COVID-19 jab. At least 163 persons deprived of liberty have received at least one dose of the vaccine so far in the provincial jail facility. (Photo courtesy of Ilocos Sur provincial jail)

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte — At least 3,961 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) across the different facilities of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Ilocos region had received jabs against COVID-19, according to the latest data from the agency.

The same data from the agency showed that 1,537 of these inmates were already fully vaccinated against the disease. Of which, 1,115 PDLs are in Pangasinan province, followed by La Union (290), Ilocos Norte (129), and Ilocos Sur (3).

About 2,424 PDLs in the entire region have received their first dose, the agency said.

BJMP Ilocos regional assistant director Supt. Jun Melchor Boadilla on Sunday said at least 85 inmates had contracted the disease across jail facilities in the region.

All of them had been confirmed to recover from the viral disease, except for two inmates in La Union province who had reacquired the virus, he said.

By December, the BJMP facilities in the region are being eyed to reopen for possible in-person non-contact visitation among the immediate family relatives, and other authorized persons such as lawyers and doctors of the PDLs.

A scheduled visiting scheme would be implemented to prevent crowding in the facilities, Boadilla said.

The ban on in-person visits had been imposed since the beginning of the pandemic curb to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in jail facilities.