This story was told by a person incarcerated at Vacaville.
UCI: How has the COVID situation been at your facility?
Caller: Well it was pretty hard. I got cancer and then I ended up getting COVID-19.
UCI: Well that’s, I’m so sorry to hear that. Can you into further detail about the situation, like how it’s been handled and all that jazz, you know?
Caller: Like my treatments or what?
UCI: Anything regards to the situation of COVID. You can talk about how it’s spread, how they been handling it.
Caller: How it spread, I don’t know, but I knew I got it, and it was kind of hard to breathe. You know, You know, I thought I was a goner, ’cause I have been going through chemo, and then I got the COVID-19 ’cause my immune system was weak. And when I got the symptoms, I knew something was wrong other than my radiation, and when they test me, I test positive and the court told me three to two weeks. Those three weeks were kind of hard because it was hard to breathe.
UCI: Yeah.
Caller: But the reason I called too is because I got a letter from [redacted],and I don’t want her to think I ignored her ’cause I was sick when I got the letter back in August.
UCI: Yeah, we’re always happy to hear your guys’ COVID-19 stories. So you talked about how you got it. How was – how did they treat you for it? Like did they do anything in particular or did they let you guys struggle?
Caller: They didn’t give us no medication. Nothing like that, we just in your cell, just sit there and recuperate.
UCI: Would they – did they social distance you with your cellmate? Did they leave your cellmate in there? What was the situation regarding that?
Caller: There was two guys in the same cell with COVID-19. One guy had a machine and I thought I should need one too because I couldn’t breathe that good. I got my COVID-19 when they transferred me from one spot to another place and I told the officers, “Look at this, this is quarantine right here for COVID-19, you gone put me in there?” and he goes, “Yeah.” Then two days later I got COVID-19 because they brought me to the infirmary. They quarantined me for three weeks.
UCI: So they quarantined you for three weeks. Did they quarantine you and your cellmate or just yourself?
Caller: Oh, just myself. My cellmate didn’t get it, they tested my cellie and he didn’t have none.
UCI: Got you. So how was the, has there been any distribution of the vaccine? Has there been any sort of process, has it improved at all, has it worsened? Describe like the situation, everything.
Caller: I got both shots and then still got corona, COVID-19 and recently I got the booster shot.
UCI: Did you get your booster shot recently?
Caller: Yes.
UCI: Mmkay. I just wanted – I just wanted to get the full grasp on it, but continue, I’m sorry for interrupting you.
Caller: Yes, and, you know, just like I tell you, it’s hard. You just sitting there, just wondering what’s going to happen. ‘Cause like I said, I thought I was a goner ’cause I couldn’t breathe that good, and then through everything I’m going through, my chemo.
UCI: Yeah.
Caller: You know, I still got cancer, I’m still in the infirmary at the hospital, and hopefully next month I get the tumor cut out.
UCI: Good, okay. I’m so sorry to hear that you’re struggling with all these mental, with all these health problems. But continue I’m sorry for interrupting you.
Caller: Yeah, and I talk to one of the deputies here and one of them had, they got COVID-19 twice. And I go, “Wow, twice,” and he said, “Yeah.” And then my son he got it too, and his wife and his daughter. It’s kind of hard just sitting here and not doing, not doing, you know, I thought there would be a medication or something like that but no. There’s no medication for it here.
UCI: So you mention your son, how has you being incarcerated during COVID impacted them?
Caller: Well, you know, it hurts them. ‘Cause I’m away from them, you know, hoping I’ll be out there soon.
UCI: Yeah, I’m so sorry to hear about all your medical issues. You have my deepest condolences, but how’ve you been coping with this ongoing pandemic crisis?
Caller: All I’m trying to do day by day is hopefully don’t to get it again, right now there’s nobody in here, else in the infirmary with COVID-19 right now. None of them, nobody is in here with it. So I think, you know, it’s gone already, I don’t know.
UCI: Yeah, so you discussed how you got COVID and they just quarantined you, they didn’t give you any sort of medication or anything. What would you have done at your facility to make everything better? Like to make the situation better, what could’ve been done?
Caller: I would’ve probably got some cough syrup or flu syrup or something.
UCI: So any sort of medication would’ve made the situation better?
Caller: I think, or help, or help me with something to breathe because I had to struggle, really struggle to breathe.
UCI: Gotcha. So regarding your situation, what do you want people to know about your experience with COVID, having COVID while also dealing with cancer and all that jazz. What do you want – what do you want people to know in particular? Like if you can tell, if you can tell your story, what is one thing that needs to be taken away from your story? What do you want to tell the people?
Caller: Well, just not to be afraid of it, I guess. The only reason I got it was because my immune system was weak because of my chemo, but other than that, you know. The breathing is the hardest part but other than that, everything goes okay, you know. Once it goes away, it goes away. Everything is back to normal, you know.
UCI: Of course.
Caller: When it comes, don’t let it bother you or worry or anything like that.
UCI: Yeah. So you mentioned your son. I want to let you know if he wants to also share his experience with having you incarcerated during COVID, this hotline is available to him and your family. So, if you want them to share their story and experience with you being incarcerated during COVID, you’re more than happy to give them this phone number and we’re more than happy to hear their story too. But is there anything else you’d like to share regarding the COVID situation at your facility or anything else? I’ve gone through-
Caller: Get their shots and hopefully they cannot get it.
UCI: Yeah, that’s the message that I like to share to people too. Anyways if you don’t have anything else to say. Do you have anything else to say?
Caller: Last thing I just want to say, let [redacted] know that I’m not trying to ignore her or anything, okay.
UCI: Gotcha. Well I want to thank you for calling the PrisonPandemic and sharing your story. Have a lovely day.
Caller: You too, thank you. Bye.
