He mentioned, the Health Ministry has taken this decision considering the high risk of prison officers face, their work with inmates and the use of public transport amidst the pandemic.

Accordingly, the prison health department will take the first steps to vaccinate 5100 prison officers in the Western Province from today (16) morning at the Prison Training School. Thereafter, all officers on duty in other prisons will also be vaccinated, he said.

He further said that 4549 persons have been cured from the prison cluster which had 4700 infected while 171 officers and inmates are still receiving treatments.