This story was told by a person incarcerated at Pelican Bay.
UCI: What facility are you currently housed at?
Caller: I’m at Pelican Bay State Prison.
UCI: So, what has the COVID situation been like at your facility?
Caller: The situation is — well there’s been inmates that have – that contracted COVID virus but they’ve been on, as far as quarantine individuals that have contracted the virus, they’ve been on point with it.
And everybody right here, like 90 percent of the facility that I’m at, have been vaccinated. And the vaccine rollout was pretty swift and efficient as far as I can see.
UCI: So how has the COVID situation affected your loved ones?
Caller: As far as visitations, the last time I seen my family was December 2019 and visitation barely got picked up again just recently.
But during the – in the midst of the pandemic, they offered us video visits that lasts for like one hour for once a month. And it was very hard to get in contact with the prison to get a visitation. But since then, I haven’t seen my family since then.
UCI: So how have you been coping with the crisis?
Caller: Well, I’ve been kind of busy with programs like with the ARC program and with the college homework. I’ve been doing, they’ve been doing online courses with correspondents and that’s been helping me out for me not to think about what’s going on out there. But as far as my mental state, it’s been kind of stressful because I haven’t been able to see my family.
And as far as being able to go outside like during in the first phase of the pandemic, we were locked down like a month at a time and we couldn’t go nowhere unless, unless it was like for emergency. But as for right now, there’s been program and we’ve been able to go outside and go back to work.
UCI: That’s good to hear, that it’s getting better.
Caller: Yes sir.
UCI: So, about the vaccination situation, when did you guys start getting vaccines?
Caller: The first shot I got was in February and my last shot was in March.
UCI: Okay. So, what would’ve made the situation at your facility better?
Caller: Basically, they’re trying lift up program again and having us be able to move around to get outside of our shells and get some fresh air once in a while. And that’s more relieving than anything else you know.
UCI: Yeah. So, is there anything else that you want people to know about your experience?
Caller: As far as us in here within the facility, it has been kind of hard. But being in this environment, we’re used to being, what do you call it, what’s that word, to transition, to get used to situations real fast.
And it affects certain people in a different way, a lot of people’s families have been affected by the COVID and a lot of individuals here have lost loved ones. And it’s been — we’re all band together and help heal each other because we see one individual struggling, we’ll stop what we’re doing and we’ll help that individual in any which way we can, you know?
UCI: Yeah, that’s nice. So, is there anything else you want to say?
Caller: Nah, that’s about it. I was just trying to – just curious about what this was about and I’m glad I could do my part and that’s about it, you know?
UCI: Yeah, it’s so good that we can hear and share your story with everyone else.
Caller: Okay and I’ll ask around if any other individuals want to call you guys and share their stories also, okay?
UCI: That’d be great.
Caller: Alright. Thank you for your time and God bless. And you guys be safe out there and continue wearing a mask and be kind to each other out there because I been seeing in the news and stuff, you know.?
UCI: Yeah. Okay.
Caller: All right. God bless.
UCI: Have a good day. Bye.
Caller: All right bye bye.
