Vermont Business Magazine Earlier this morning, Alliance for a Better Vermont joined President Pro Tempore Becca Balint of Windham County, Chittenden County State Senator Kesha Ram, Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George, and Newport educator Aimee Alexander to call on Governor Scott to address the current public health crisis resulting from his inaction. The Alliance is calling vaccinating the Vermont prison population. The Northern State Correctional Facility in Newport has seen the most recent outbreak.
“Governor Scott has repeatedly stated that his response to the COVID-19 pandemic will be rooted in science, yet he has continued to refuse to prioritize vaccine access for incarcerated individuals despite the proven public health risk,” said Ashley Moore, director of Alliance for a Better Vermont. “We are calling on Governor Scott to prioritize this high-risk population for their health and safety and that of our broader communities.”
Aimee Alexander, an educator in Newport, spoke about how Governor Scott's inaction and the resulting outbreak has impacted her community.
“Over the past few weeks since the outbreak at the Newport prison, we’ve seen cases spike at my school and other local schools, causing us to have to switch to fully remote teaching and learning," said Alexander. “We would not be fully remote right now if incarcerated Vermonters, who represent less than one percent of Vermont’s total population, had been prioritized for vaccines.”
Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George, whose jurisdiction includes the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility, emphasized the need to follow the science.
“I hear our administration say they are following the science, and they mostly are, but only offering vaccinations to correctional staff and not the residents within is not following the science, it is ignoring it,” she said.
Senator Kesha Ram spoke about the Senate’s multiple failed attempts to call on the governor to take action, in addition to how his lack of inaction disproportionately harms Black Vermonters.
“This is not just a public health issue, but a racial justice issue," said Senator Kesha Ram. “Black Vermonters are heavily over-incarcerated in our state.”
President Pro Tempore Becca Balint also emphasized the need to follow the data.
“What sense does it make to prioritize some Vermonters who live in congregate settings but not others?” she said. “These individuals are literally locked in together.”
Alliance for a Better Vermont is a 501c4 organization "working to elevate Vermont voices on pressing issues to advance a collective vision and create a more prosperous future for Vermont."