This story was told by a person incarcerated at Calipatria.
UCI: I can’t imagine, you know, being isolated like you guys are. But if it’s possible, I’d like to hear about your experience. Maybe, are you feeling-
Caller: What do you wanna know? Ask me. Ask away.
UCI: So, what is the current COVID-19 situation at your facility like?
Caller: Let me see. Well, I caught COVID not too long ago.
UCI: I’m sorry to hear-.
Caller: Hold on. Alright. Well, let me see. What do you wanna know?
UCI: So-
Caller: How is it like in here?
UCI: Yeah.
Caller: The whole building had COVID. So, at first, I don’t know how I caught it, but I was one of the first few to catch it.
UCI: Mhmm.
Caller: So, then, so they came to my door and they took me to the hole and they said I was gonna be isolated for a little while, just the 14 days and whatever. And then, and yeah, I went over there. And then, my cellie went along with me and then just, well actually, about, I want to say like, 90 percent of the building caught it. Caught COVID.
UCI: Mhmm.
Caller: So we isolated. They took us to the hole and then they brought us back. Now, I’m an essential worker cause I’m a porter here at the prison.
So, I’m helping clean, keeping things disinfected and stuff. And then, yeah, it’s, I mean, some people got really sick but it’s been alright for the most part. It hasn’t been as bad as other prisons, I guess.
