The Delhi Prison authority on Sunday said that more than 21,900 doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been administered to the inmates of three jails, Mandoli, Tihar and Rohini jails, in the national capital so far.

According to data shared by the prison official, 21,970 doses -- 15,152 first dose and 6818 second dose -- have been administered by Saturday.

“As on Saturday, 10,707 Tihar jail inmates were given the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine and 4,352 were given the second dose. In Rohini jail, 1,793 inmates -- 1,381 first dose and 412 second dose -- were administered the vaccine, while in Mandoli jail, 3,064 inmates got their first, and 2,054 second dose,” the data stated.

The prisons department launched a Covid vaccination drive for inmates over 45 years of age on March 18, while the inoculation of inmates in the 18-44-age group began on May 18. The prison officials had said that over 4,000 inmates were released from the three jails this year.

“The officials had started the process of releasing inmates from the second week of May. Around 3,800 under-trial prisoners were released on interim bail and around 840 convicts were released on emergency parole from the prisons,” they had said.

Last year, around 5,500 under-trial prisoners and 1,184 convicts were released on interim bail and emergency parole from these jails during the virus-induced lockdown.

Amid escalating concerns over the Omicron variant, Delhi prisons authorities had said they are ramping up anti-coronavirus measures and have decided to raise awareness about vaccines among inmates and isolate those showing symptoms of an Influenza-like illness.

According to the latest official order, all staff of the three Delhi prisons -- Tihar, Mandoli and Rohini -- have been directed to emphasise to inmates the need to get vaccinated and to do so as quickly as possible.

Prisons in Delhi are often very crowded, making them a potential hotspot for the spread of the virus. During the previous wave of coronavirus, the Supreme Court had allowed jails authorities across the country to take steps to decongest prisons including by releasing inmates on parole.