How spl bubbles protected kids & their mothers in jails

New Delhi: Despite Covid wreaking havoc inside Delhi's prisons, infecting thousands and killing some in the city's overcrowded jails, the Prisons authority here has devoted special attention to children living inside the jail complexes with their incarcerated mothers, creating bubbles for them, ensuring that not many contracted the virus.

In fact, throughout last year, only one child had tested positive for the virus, with her mother testing negative. The child recovered and this year one mother tested positive with her child testing negative. Other than this, no Covid case has been reported among the 24 children who are living in Delhi's jails with their incarcerated mothers. This includes two foreign national children as well.

Nine of these children are residing in Tihar and 15 are in Mandoli prison complex, one official said. At these prisons, the mothers and children have been assigned a couple of separate barracks. As per doctors' advice, jail authorities make sure the mother and child are living together in such a situation.

And with fears of a third wave of the pandemic affecting children more, jail authorities have now started vaccinating the mothers. Six such women have been vaccinated so far, officials added.

Meanwhile, over five pregnant inmates are also lodged in prisons in which only one woman was tested positive and she has now recovered from the deadly disease.

Sandeep Goel, Director General of Prisons, told Millennium Post that the jail authorities closely monitor the condition of women inmates living with their children and also those pregnant. "Mostly, the mothers with children are living together so that children get company too and also care and protection of many. Hygiene, proper diet and medical support are ensured for them," he added.

About 1,472 inmates above 45 years have been vaccinated in jails whereas 100 inmates below 45 years were administered vaccines till Tuesday (last week).

At jail number 6 in Tihar, there are around 350 female inmates, of which around 100 are 45 years and above whereas around 250 inmates are below 45 years. "80 inmates above 45 and 90 below 45 have been vaccinated so far in this jail," the official said.

As per statistics provided by the authority of the prison (till May 19), 59 female inmates were tested positive for the contagious disease ." Out of these 57 have recovered and one had expired. Presently only one active case," an official said.

The statistics shared by the prison authority revealed that till May 24, about 593 inmates and jail officials had tested positive since March 2021. "376 inmates were affected by the contagious disease in which 347 have recovered and seven inmates died whereas 217 prisons staff were tested positive in which 205 have recovered," the data showed.