Gitmo detainees set to receive swine flu vaccine

[Steve Eisenberg]

Gitmo detainees set to receive swine flu vaccine

Terrorism suspects held at the Guantanamo Bay naval base will soon get swine flu vaccines, despite complaints that American civilians should have priority, a military spokesman said Sunday.

Army Maj. James Crabtree, a spokesman for the U.S. jail facility in southeast Cuba, said the doses should start arriving this month, with guards and then inmates scheduled for inoculations.

He acknowledged there may be an "emotional response" from critics who argue that terror suspects should not be allocated swine-flu medications while members of the U.S. public are still waiting due to a vaccine shortage.

But he said U.S. military officials are "responsible for the health and care of the detainee population."

Medical personnel at Guantanamo requested the doses, but Crabtree said he did not know how many.

Detainees will be vaccinated "entirely on a voluntary basis," he said.

This sounded pretty good to me until that last sentence quoted above. According to the Geneva convention:

Among the special measures which the Detaining power must take in regard to prisoners of war, we would mention first very strict examination upon entry into the camp, thorough disinfection and inoculation with all necessary vaccines. These vaccines will, of course, [p.207] vary according to the climate and latitude (1) and will be re-administered as frequently as necessary; even if they are not in current use in the armed forces to which the prisoners belong, that is no reason why they should not be administered. Prisoners of war must be vaccinated as their health requires, taking into account their constitution . . .

By giving prisoners the option to not take a vaccine, you put the whole community in danger due to lack of herd immunity.

[JoeBentley]

While I can understand people's kneejerk reaction to this on some level, it makes sense. Prisons due to closer quarters are at higher risk and they are associated potential discipline problems with having a bunch of sick prisoners.

But yeah I agree that last sentence kind steps on the whole concept.

I wonder about other prisons and similar institutions. Is this a Gitmo specific thing?