People most at risk of death should be priority

On February 11, 2021 a letter to the editor incorrectly asserted that I said Gov. Pritzker's plan to prioritize prisoners for COVID-19 vaccines was "immoral." What I said was "immoral" was his plan to move healthy prison inmates ahead of people under age 65 with comorbidities who, according to the CDC, are up to 12 times more likely to die if they contract COVID-19 than a healthy individual.

Specifically regarding prisoners and prioritization, I stated on Jan. 18:

"All human life is precious and prisoners deserve to be vaccinated along with the general population. Additionally, I believe inmates with preexisting conditions that put them at greater danger of death from COVID-19 should be vaccinated along with those with preexisting conditions in the general public. The point is that people with preexisting conditions who are at the highest risk, whether they be incarcerated or in the general public, deserve to be vaccinated before healthy inmates."

I believed that putting the healthy before the sick was "immoral" then, and I believe it now.

On Feb. 10, following weeks of lobbying by members of the legislature, myself included, the governor announced people with certain preexisting conditions could eventually begin trying to get a vaccine on Feb. 25. While I'm relieved that our most vulnerable will finally begin to have a chance, I maintain that it was wrong for the state to withhold their access from the very beginning, unlike what was done in many other states.

There is finally a light at the end of a very long tunnel for those most desperate to receive the vaccine. I hope Gov. Pritzker will create a more open dialogue with the legislature to build upon this improvement and ensure the state is fair and equitable to all in need.

State Sen. Dan McConchie

Hawthorn Woods