PRINTER'S NO. 867
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
73
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY SIMS, N. NELSON, KENYATTA, SANCHEZ, McNEILL,
SCHLOSSBERG, BURGOS, SCHWEYER, LEE, KINKEAD AND HOHENSTEIN,
MARCH 11, 2021
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, MARCH 11, 2021
A RESOLUTION
Urging the Department of Health to prioritize the vaccination of
corrections staff and incarcerated people since they are at
increased risk for contracting and dying from COVID-19.
WHEREAS, Incarcerated people have suffered high rates of
COVID-19 infection because of the nature of close confinement
with others and some serious failings of the enactment of health
and safety guidelines; and
WHEREAS, The mortality rate of COVID-19 for incarcerated
people in Federal and state correctional facilities is four
times as high as the mortality rate for the general population;
and
WHEREAS, Over the course of the pandemic, more than 12,000
inmates in Pennsylvania have tested positive for COVID-19 and 76
have died; and
WHEREAS, Over half of the inmates at the State Correctional
Institute Laurel Highlands, which serves as a long-term care
facility for many older inmates or inmates with medical
conditions, have tested positive for COVID-19 and at least eight
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
people have died; and
WHEREAS, Corrections staff are put at increased risk for
contracting and dying from COVID-19 because of their exposure to
increased rates of COVID-19 at prisons and other correctional
facilities; and
WHEREAS, Outbreaks in prisons that infect corrections staff
can spread to the surrounding community; and
WHEREAS, Given that many correctional institutions in
Pennsylvania are located in rural areas, outbreaks that start at
correctional institutions and spread to the surrounding
community through corrections staff can strain the capabilities
and resources of rural hospitals that have a limited capacity
because of the high number of existing COVID-19 cases; and
WHEREAS, While several thousand people have been released
from correctional institutions to slow the spread of COVID-19 in
correctional institutions in Pennsylvania, this effort was not
sufficient to stop the virus and it continues to spread rapidly;
and
WHEREAS, As of January 11, 2021, there are 2,163 active
COVID-19 cases among inmates in Pennsylvania and 251 cases among
staff; and
WHEREAS, The development and emergency use authorizations of
COVID-19 vaccines is an important milestone, and the needs of
incarcerated people cannot be forgotten; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge the
Department of Health to prioritize the vaccination of
corrections staff and incarcerated people since they are at
increased risk for contracting and dying from COVID-19.
20210HR0073PN0867 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28