This story was told by a person incarcerated at Vacaville.
UCI: I was wondering, like, what was the vaccination situation like at your facility?
Caller: Oh, they did do the vaccination thing, the vaccine shot, and I took mine.
UCI: Good for you.
Caller: There’s a lot of people who denied. There’s a lot of people who didn’t take the shot. So, I don’t know. But they did do it.
They got – everybody got a chance to get it, but there’s a lot of people who didn’t take it.
UCI: So, it was up to the person’s discretion if they would like to take it or not.
Caller: Exactly. Exactly.
UCI: Understood. You said that it was a very trying time on your mental health. How are you coping with the crisis?
Caller: Well, I recently lost my mom, and, you know, I’m, like, taking college courses and getting ready to parole soon. I’ve got a lot on my mind. I’ve been trying not to think about that too much, but it’s right there in your face, you know?
UCI: Yeah.
Caller: So, it’s hard to get around it because it’s reality. It’s right there in your face, and it’s like I really want to focus on getting paroled, and getting my life back together, and doing things like that, and getting my life, starting my life all over again, because in here, this is not living.
UCI: Yeah.
Caller: Basically, you’re just a living soul, but you’re not living. So, it’s like I’m trying to get back out to the streets and focus on how I’m getting on parole, get my record expunged, and, you know, finish going to college, and getting my education, and, you know, getting a career and stuff like that. So, it’s like I’m trying not to think about this epidemic, but, I mean, it’s like in your face, man.
UCI: Yeah.
Caller: I don’t know how I’ve been coping.
UCI: Yeah.
Caller: I really don’t.
UCI: It seems like you’ve just been keeping yourself busy to cope. I’m so sorry for your.
Caller: Exactly, yeah.
UCI: I’m so sorry for your loss. Like, from the deepest part of my heart, you have my condolences. I’m so very sorry because you said you lost your mom, right?
I’m so sorry from the deepest part of my heart.
Caller: Thank you.
