NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Dr. Anthony Fauci has teamed up with a pair of New York City agencies to encourage jail staffers and people in custody to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
The New York City Department of Correction and NYC Health + Hospitals/Correctional Health Services on Thursday released two videos that feature Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, urging correctional workers and incarcerated New Yorkers alike to get their shots.
“In this country, if you are incarcerated, you are up to five times more likely to become infected with the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 than if you were on the outside,” Fauci said in the video addressed to people in custody. “Given these odds, the New York City Department of Correction has done an extraordinary job in keeping the Rikers Island population safe from COVID-19.”
“Unfortunately, being incarcerated still puts you at risk. Now, we have a new strain of the coronavirus, the delta variant, that spreads rapidly and accounts for nearly all U.S. cases now,” he went on to say. “For your own health and peace of mind, I strongly urge you to protect yourself by getting vaccinated.”
In the video addressed to New York City correction officers and staff members, Fauci said he was “profoundly aware that your work can be difficult, both physically and mentally.”
“Coming to work every day during the COVID-19 pandemic has required exceptional courage and resilience,” he said. “You all are the real heroes.”
“We must stop this virus from continuing to spread. We can succeed if you and your colleagues join in getting vaccinated,” he added. “Doing so could protect you, and give you peace of mind. It also can help protect others close to you who are currently unable to be vaccinated.”
In a statement, DOC Commissioner Vincent Schiraldi said his department was “extremely grateful to Dr. Fauci for making these important messages, which speak directly to us and indirectly to everyone who works in a correctional setting.”
“We want to do everything we can to keep people safe and continue encouraging vaccination, so we have been reaching out to high-profile messengers,” he said. “With the rise of the Delta variant, we are doing everything we can prevent an outbreak in the City’s jails.”
DOC staffers will be able to watch Fauci’s messages on social media, according to the release. People in custody, meanwhile, will be able to view them using tablets that they have access to, the release said.
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