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Denver jails administer first COVID-19 vaccines

22 inmates received COVID-19 vaccines at Denver Downtown Detention Center.

DENVER — The Denver Sheriff's Department (DSD) announced Wednesday that 22 inmates have received their first doses of the Moderna vaccine at the Downtown Detention Center. 

>The above video aired on Jan. 29, and details how for every 1,000 people incarcerated in Colorado prisons, 557 have contracted COVID-19.

DSD said if someone is released from custody before receiving the second dose of the Moderna vaccine, resource material and instructions will be provided to them by Denver Health medical staff.

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Daria Serna, a spokesperson for the City of Denver, said there was a delay in vaccinating inmates at the jail as Denver Health worked to meet freezing storage standards prior to administering the vaccines.

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The COVID-19 vaccinations will continue to be distributed to those who are eligible to receive a vaccination per the state's phased plan. 

People over 50, those who have at least one preexisting condition and multiple categories of essential workers are eligible to begin to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at the end of the week. 

Gov. Jared Polis (D-Colorado) has previously said that he expects the general public to become eligible by mid-April. This comes after the federal government announced that it is aiming for all adults to be vaccine-eligible by May 1. 

RELATED: President Biden sets May 1 target to have all adults vaccine-eligible

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