Las Vegas, NV (AP) - More than three-fourths of the state's corrections workers are either partially or fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to figures from the Nevada Department of Corrections.
The state’s mandate starts to go into effect this month. The latest numbers for the corrections department represent a 12% increase since the last time data was released on Oct. 25.
The department currently employs about 2,200 people, meaning over 200 initiated the vaccination process in the last four weeks.
About 830 department employees were officially reprimanded on Nov. 2 for not complying with the policy.
According to documents obtained by News 4-Fox 11, the letters of reprimand warned unvaccinated workers of “progressive disciplinary action” if they do not get inoculated.
Prison officials had initially planned to start suspending employees on Nov. 9, but a department spokesperson confirmed no employees have yet been suspended.
According to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard, more than 6,000 Nevada inmates had contracted COVID-19 as of Nov. 18.
Authorities said 49 inmates and three prison staff members have died after contracting the coronavirus.