As a safety measure to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the Denver Sheriff’s Department is offering an incentive — complimentary ramen noodles and coffee — to inmates who get vaccinated while in custody.
In a news release, Sheriff Elias Diggins said: “In prisons across the US, vaccine promotion programs for detained individuals are in the works and we have decided to move forward with implementing this as well.” “We will be evaluating the program monthly and hope it will make a difference as we all continue to combat COVID.”
The sheriff’s department implemented a vaccine incentive program for detained individuals to encourage prisoners to receive the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the release said.
According to the Associated Press, New York state prisons offer inmates pizza and McDonald’s items as incentives to get vaccinated.
The Denver incentive program provides 10 ramen noodle soups or a combination of one coffee and five ramen noodle soups for each COVID-19 vaccine, the release said. Prisoners who had already received a dose of the vaccine while in custody will also be offered the goods.
Noodles and coffee are among the commissary items offered to Denver prison inmates, items that can be purchased, and are in addition to the three daily meals prepared in kitchens in downtown and county jails.
As of Tuesday, the total number of outbreak cases at the downtown prison stood at 455, according to Sheriff’s Department data. The outbreak numbers do not include employees and many cases “have already been resolved.”
There has been a massive and steady increase in the number of cases since September.
DSD will continue to work with the Denver Health and Hospital Authority and the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment to help reduce the risk of COVID-19, the release said.
