Cheryl Fiandaca of WBZ CBS Boston reported today that more than 1,500 correctional officers in Massachusetts, about 50% of the state's "highly trained correction officers," are scheduled to be fired on Sunday, October 17th, for failing to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination status. Governor Charlie Baker has reportedly activated 250 National Guard troops to help staff potential shortages at the state prisons. Fiandaca interviewed Kevin Flanagan, the legislative liaison for the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union, who stated: "With all due respect to the men and women of the National Guard, we have highly trained correction officers who have worked throughout the pandemic for 18 months and to now say 50 percent would be terminated it’s not right, it’s not fair." Absent from the CBS I-Team report is the issue of the National Guard, who are being called up in many states to replace workers being fired for not getting a mandated COVID-19 shot. The National Guard does not have to comply with COVID-19 vaccine mandates until June of 2022. A report earlier this year stated that fewer National Guard members were receiving COVID-19 shots than active duty members, with less than 40% vaccinated. This begs the question on how National Guard members, the majority of whom have not yet been vaccinated and have until next year to comply with mandates, can replace prison workers and in other states hospital workers who are being terminated simply because they are not vaccinated for COVID-19?
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