This story was told by a person incarcerated at Cois M. Byrd Detention Center.
UCI: And what has the COVID situation been like at your facility?
Caller: It was kind of – It was pretty hectic. It was [unintelligible]. You know what I’m saying, I got mine. I was like, wondering, like, when I got it last year in July I think around, like, the end of June, the beginning of July I had got in a little situation, like, a little mutual combat and I got shot up, right, like, 26 times, you know, by the sheriffs right here with the pellet guns, with the pepper spray balls.
UCI: Uh-huh.
Caller: And then, I had to get stitches because I had fell and hit the stairs. So, I went to get stitches. When I went to get stitched, you know, I got moved from one section to another, like, building, right. So, I’m going to another building.
You know, when they separate people, you know, after they get in a little mutual combat, you know. So, I go over here and before I get housed, I’m in the holding center, I’m in a holding cell. There’s, like, ten of us in there. And there’s this guy coughing, and coughing, and coughing and he came from the streets.
And we’re like, what the hell. But, we had our mask on, but still they ram packed us up in this cell when there’s only supposed to be, like, four people in a cell especially in closed parameters. But, there was at least 10, 11 people in the cell. And they’re bringing people in from the streets.
So, I already been in for, like, five months and I’m like, alright, this ain’t cool, you know what I mean. So, everybody’s trying to, like, mask up and do our thing, but you only can do so much because we don’t know how this is getting in the air or if it can get your eyeballs or it can get anywhere. We don’t know.
But, all I know is I went for surgery, like, a few days later because I had a little retinal detachment, and I went to the hospital and they tested me positive for COVID and they didn’t even let me in the hospital where I tried.
You know, they send me back and they’re like, oh, you got COVID. And I was like, what. And they were like, yeah, you can’t have your-we can’t put you to sleep, we can’t put you down and do your surgery because you got COVID. And I’m like, well, that ain’t my fault, how did I catch COVID because I was-we were following all protocols while we’re in the facility.
Like, come out, like, two people a day at of their room, you know, every 15 to half an hour. We got to wear our mask. So, everybody was following protocol, but, I mean, when I got sent to the holding cell, I don’t know, that’s probably when I got it. Because, I mean, there was this guy – you can’t tell when someone is just coughing, but when this guy’s coughing he’s like, oh, you coming from the streets.
I’m like, did you test for COVID? And they’re like, no, well, they didn’t test me. So, we’re kind of like, alright, whatever. But, when I did catch it I was up here in medical, and over here with my eyeball blind, and then they’re like, hey, you know what, you can’t have surgery for another three weeks.
And then I was like, oh, it’s not this serious, you know, like, cool, whatever, I just didn’t panic. And then, like, two days later that’s when I lost my taste, my smell, and everything else, you know. And I was just, like, shaking. And it just felt, like, robotic, man. Like, I felt like something was inside of my chest.
Like, it was so icy cold but, like, I can’t explain it. Like, you know, like, it was weird, like, but it did feel like something I never felt before in my life. Like, I was like, okay, this is dangerous right here. And it was like that for, like, three or four days and I got my smell and my taste buds back and everything.
And it lingered in my system for a while because after that I got surgery three weeks later and they’re like, oh, we’re following protocols so everybody was masked up in the hospital. You know, and then they fixed my eye, but they already did too late. They delayed my surgery because of COVID-19.
And they said, oh, you can’t really sue us for nothing because, you know, everybody’s going through it right now. You know, they’re pushing everybody out the hospital because they don’t know what the anesthetic’s going to do with the people that are on, like, you know, with COVID.
They don’t know what the cause and effect will be, you know. I was like, okay, whatever. And then, I’ve been up here since last year. But, I tried to go for my second surgery and every time I went to the hospital, like, they’ll be like, you’re still testing positive. And I’m like, how, you know.
And then, one time in January I went to go get a surgery again for my second surgery, you know, because I had a retina detachment. They did a thing with my nose where it goes all the way to the back of your throat, right. And then they did it and then, like, the 15 minutes test, she’s already saying, oh, you’re positive, you can’t be here, you got to go back to the facility.
And I come into the facility and they’re like, oh no, you’re positive. They got all my stuff from biohazard and stuff and then they’re like, oh, you know what, here, just take another test.
Because Human Resources is right here upstairs where I’m at in medical and they’re like, you know what, we’re going to do another test on you because we don’t think that, you know, you’re positive. So, they did a little quick 30 minute test where it’s in the nostril, not the ones to the back of the throat. And then, like, I did it and they’re like, you came out negative, you know.
And then, I went back to the hospital and they did another test and they’re like, oh, it’s inconclusive, we didn’t say it was positive. But, they still told the deputies that I was positive.
So, I was [crosstalk], do I have it again or what now, man. It’s like, it’s already been six months since I had that, you know. So, I haven’t had it again. I have, like, you know, three test about a month ago and there’s no signs of it and everything.
But, you know, I guess, I don’t know if it’s in your blood or something like that for a while because, you know, your antibodies fought it, or if I probably caught it again and I didn’t know I caught it because, you know, I was asymptomatic or something like that.
So, all I know is they kind of, like, let me brain fog for a while, you know. And then, sometimes I still sit here and, like, kind of, like, you know, got to do my burpees and workout and everything, but it’s kind of, like, weird. It’s just weird. But, I know this killed, like, three of my cousins, my uncle, some of my homies. I lost a lot of people to this pandemic, you know.
So, I mean, it’s kind of messed up. But, I did lose an eye because of, you know, COVID. I lost my eye because they couldn’t send me to surgery on time because I got COVID.
UCI: Wow.
Caller: [Crosstalk] situation by the time I got here. Yeah, so, I’m up here and I’m waiting on my fifth surgery. You know, I just needed a little retina attachment. That’s all they had to do is one simple surgery and it led to four surgeries all because of COVID.
And I think when I did catch the COVID, too, it messed up the back of my eyes. Everything was hurting. Like, everything in my body was hurting, especially my lungs, man. It just felt like – I can’t explain it, man.
But, my mom, she said she got it but she didn’t want to tell me because she didn’t want me to freak out, but she was telling me how – like, because mine, I felt robotic. Like, it felt like there was just something in me, like, taking over my body, like, in my chest, like, right there where I couldn’t breathe. And, like, it’s so cold, you know, but I’m so hot in the shower.
And I’m like, what is this shit. Excuse my language. But, it was just a weird feeling, man. Like, that was, like, manmade created. Man, that is not from bats. All I know, man, what I felt, I never felt nothing like that in my life, but I survived it.
[Crosstalk] real, that’s real. This is real, man. But, you know, it’s just sad that, you know, people, you know, catch it and pass away and stuff, but I’m just glad I’m a survivor of it. But, I’m thinking that’s what caused my – I had to get that delayed because my eye wasn’t that bad from the fight.
Even though I got shot up by the police, like, 26 times with the pellet gun, probably got hit in the eye, you know. But, just the delay of it and then just because of what it does to your body, like, I think it just, like, destroys your immune system so it gets everything weaker, because that’s how I felt. And, you know, and I think that probably, like, you know, damaged the pressure in my eyes because my vision is not the same no more as it used to be, you know. Like I said, I’m alright, man, but a lot of people caught that.
And I haven’t really taken no vaccine. So, I didn’t take the vaccine shot either. I will never take the vaccine. Because the only thing I took was the ammonia fucking vaccine in prison, you know, because I’ve been in prison most of my life since, you know, ’99.
I’ve been only out for, like, 18 months of my adult life. So, I’ve been institutionalized in CDCR for, you know, forever. And then, since I was kid, 12 years old, in and out of juvenile hall, so I really never took no flu shots. You know, the only shots I got when I was a kid was the measles and stuff, but all these other shots I never took.
Flu shots, nothing. So, they came by and asked me, like, four times, you want to take the shot. I’m like, no, I’d rather mask up if I have to, you know, but I’m cool. Because I just – I don’t know, man, there’s something bigger than that.
It’s just weird. Like, you know, it’s like, why? You going to give me a million dollars take the vaccine? No, we’re in here, we’re incarcerated, so it really don’t matter.
But, how do we get treated while we’re in here? In the beginning we’re getting treated like we’re fucking just, like, animals and shit stuck in a zoo. Like, look at these guys, you know, they’re fucking – they’re virus, they got a virus, you know, they’re deadly, they’re dangerous and ill. And then, like, it is kind of weird because if you had it and you’re incarcerated, some people look at you like they’re, like, better than you.
And, like, oh, my god, like, they don’t even want to get near you, but they still got to feed us, they got to bring us this, they got to do that. But, it was just weird, it was awkward. It was awkward last year, like, when it first hit. You know, it was like, oh, you got it, like, oh, my god, didn’t even want to go near you.
Want to put a hazmat suit on you and, like, you know, it was weird, it was crazy, you know. So, I don’t know. But, it got better, you know. Everything, you know, kind of control. A lot of people got vaccinated in here and stuff.
So, you know, some of my homies got vaccinated. I just choose not to because, I don’t know, it just seems too fast. You know, and then, I’m just not prepared for the next pandemic. Because I watch the news every day and they’re saying, well, we’re getting ready for our next vaccine just in case someone breaks out with another one, you know.
So, everybody’s just got to mask up and just, you know, take care of each other and keep social distancing alive and all that. You know, I just don’t understand why they’re opening up everything. Even though herd immunity can help it, just come on, man, there’s something bigger in the picture. That’s what I think. I think it’s just, you know, population control or something.
Because this stuff’s real, man. This is real and it gets real in here, man. You know, pandemic [unintelligible], it’s like people start stressing out because you know we ain’t got no day room, people are in lockdown and [unintelligible] got attention. Like, it gets real, you know.
It’s real. It’s real, man. You can’t get ahold of your family. I haven’t seen my family in a year even though visits are open.
But, most of my people can’t come because they have a [unintelligible]. Because that’s people that are, you know, unfortunately don’t got money to pay for the phone, you know, to call our loved ones, you know. So, it’s like, we used to get free phone calls for a year but it stopped. [Crosstalk] everything’s been alright though.
I mean, it’s kind of been chill. Everything, like, just-it died down. So, I think it’s just, like, herd immunity. When you’re in here it’s more herd immunity because everybody’s just going [unintelligible].
Bam, bam, bam, everybody’s going to get infected and it’s going to go like that, you know. But, I know right here in this facility, I know a cook died, I know two servers died from that stuff, and two inmates died right here, you know. And some of my homies, they’re, like, you know, overweight and they got it and their lungs got scarred. Man, that shit really messed them up bad, man.
Like, bad, bad, bad to where they’re not the same. So, it’s real. So, I don’t know if people think this is fake or not, but it’s real. But, it’s just more harder for us in here because we ain’t got nowhere to go, we’re just stuck in a cell all day, you know.
UCI: Right.
Caller: You just got to live with it.
UCI: So, you touched base on a lot of the questions I have for you. But, I just wanted to verify, when you said about, you know, people who got vaccinated – so, they offered the vaccination to all of you guys, or they’re doing it in a certain order?
Caller: You know what, as soon as – like, it was going by – because you know, like, people that are incarcerated, they really do help out people that are, like – you know, we come first because we’re, like, they’re money. You know, it’s like, you know –
Caller: – so, you know, it’s like, real quick, you know, we come first before everything, you know, a lot of people. So, we’re getting it, you know, with the lot of everybody else, but they came and offered, like – yeah, they came and offered ASAP. As soon as it was up for everybody else, as soon as they start it was like we were, like, the first ones. So, they came and offered it to everybody.
Of course, by age, right. You know, like, if you have high blood pressure or if you have, you know, diabetes, whatever, like, people with more concerns, they come and hit them up first, then it starts going, you know. Yeah, they go by, they did everybody. They did the whole facility, whoever wanted it or not, you know.
And if you don’t want it they’ll come and ask me because they know I didn’t take it. So, they’ll check up on me, like, every other week like, do you still want the vaccine shot, and I’ll be like, you know, like, whatever, you know. But, I just deny it, you know. But, they still continue to ask.
But, I stay covered up every time I go out. So, hopefully these questions are whatever. And you say you guys like art and all this other stuff, so I got the PO box and can send drawings and write letters to you guys, too, and you guys –
UCI: Yes.
Caller: Where do you guys put those?
UCI: Yeah, they’ll go on the website, also.
Caller: Alright, cool, cool, cool. Man, it was nice meeting you, man. God bless you guys. Stay safe.
UCI: You, too.
