Florida prison staff, inmates wait on word for vaccine eligibility 19 states have prioritized inmates, staff For at least 210 Florida inmates, a prison sentence turned into a death sentence due to COVID-19. and last updated 2021-03-15 18:19:29-04 WFTS For at least 210 Florida inmates, a prison sentence turned into a death sentence due to COVID-19. The second-highest death toll in the country for prison inmates continues to tick up. The death rate is 1.5 times the rate in Florida overall. Currently, Florida inmates are not eligible for a vaccine. âI know what itâs like to try to get medical care under normal conditions, so to further exasperate that under COVID conditions, itâs a nightmare,â said Susan Melendy, whose son is in prison.