Corrections officers in Cumberland County are having a hard time getting the COVID-19 vaccine, Sheriff Kevin Joyce said.
“It’s been really problematic, and quite a bit frustrating for my staff," Joyce said. "There is so much demand that the officer gets a phone call and when that person can’t answer the phone because they are working, and their cell phone is in a locker, they just move on to the next person."
The state updated its plan last month to include law enforcement as well as corrections officers in Phase 1A.
While Joyce said it was a good move, 72 of his officers are still waiting to get their first dose of the vaccine.
“The reality is, a lot of the people we deal with are ill and some of the people we deal with don’t even take this serious, so we know we are going to run into individuals coming in with the virus," he said. "I just want to make sure my staff who want the vaccination are safe."
A total of 50 inmates and staff have tested positive at the Cumberland County jail since March of 2020. The jail has also dealt with two outbreaks.
On Thursday, Joyce said the jail is now COVID-free.
Maine Center for Disease Control Director Dr. Nirav Shah said his department is working with the Maine Department of Corrections to get the corrections officers vaccinated.
“We recognize that even as we move across the phases, there will still be folks in earlier phases, in this case 1A, who may have not been vaccinated either because on the day that the vaccine clinic was offered to them, they weren’t able to be there,” said Dr. Shah. "There are myriad reasons why that might be the case."
The Maine Department of Corrections said in a statement:
“The MDOC is aware of the challenges CCJ is facing in regards to using an outside vendor to provide their staff with vaccinations off-site. The MDOC has offered to assist CCJ with their staff vaccination plan, as we have done with other county jails, which would include doses being administered directly on-site through MDOC and MCDC's partnership.”
Sheriff Joyce said he even bought a freezer to be able to hold vaccines at the jail and is now waiting to see what happens.
“I want to protect the staff so that they don’t come down with this illness and so we’re trying everything,” said Joyce.
The sheriffs in both York and Penobscot counties say they have not had any issues getting their corrections officers vaccinated.