This letter was written by a person incarcerated at USP Atwater Federal Center.
When COVID first hit the US I was in state prison in Colorado. About a month later it had got into the facility that I was in. It was in a specific unit which also happened to be my unit. One person had some serious symptoms, showing a temp of 105 which led to a facility lockdown. Three days later the facility began COVID testing unit by unit and three days after that the results came back.
60 inmates in that one unit were infected including my three cellmates. My test came back negative at that moment. Everyone that tested positive was then sent to a quarantine unit. While my unit stayed on lockdown the five other units opened back up on normal operation. They were able to call family, friends, loved one while my unit’s communication was completely taken away.
The very next day after my cellys were placed into quarantine I started having COVID symptoms. Headaches, eyes burning, body aches, and the main symptom that told me everything, loss of smell and taste.
At the time so many people were unaware including myself of the outcome after contracting the virus besides the fact that it causes death. So the only thing that came to my mind was to write a letter to my family and say my goodbyes while I still had the chance. Just being prepared for the worst.
