The Middlesex Sheriff’s Office (MSO) on Jan. 21 began vaccinating staff and incarcerated individuals in accordance with the timeline established by the Baker-Polito Administration and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH). Those living and working in congregate settings (including jails and shelters) have been identified as the fourth priority group within Phase One of the Commonwealth’s COVID-19 vaccination plan. By the end of Jan. 21, approximately 130 total staff members and incarcerated individuals will have received the first dose of the Moderna vaccine. Vaccinations will resume on Friday morning. “Today marks a critical milestone in our ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is important to note it is neither our first nor our last step,” said Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian. “Over the past 11 months we have taken a medically-driven approach to our response, implementing a series of measures designed to mitigate the impact of COVID including mask mandates and quarantining newly committed individuals. As a result of these steps, we are now approaching four consecutive months – almost 180 tests – without a positive case in the incarcerated population.”