The Arizona Department of Corrections announced new COVID-19 mitigation efforts on Friday, but it remains unclear when inmates in state prisons will be vaccinated.
The department said it has begun vaccinating correctional officers at Perryville, the state women's prison. The officers began receiving the Moderna COVID-19 vaccination on a voluntary basis Friday morning.
Correctional health care workers will be vaccinated at Perryville beginning on Monday.
The department says distribution will continue for employees at other prisons as it acquires more vaccines before expanding the program to inmates, but it did not give any timelines for the rollout.
The health care provider for state prisons has identified 6,600 inmates who are at high risk for complications if infected by COVID-19 who the department says will be vaccinated first.
The department also announced a second round of mass testing for all inmates in state-run prisons would begin on Tuesday.
