This story was told by a person incarcerated at Cois M. Byrd Detention Center.
Caller: 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.
