El Tecolote Vol. 51 Issue 7

Page 1

FREE//GRATUITO

PUBLISHED BY ACCIÓN LATINA

Vol. 51 No. 07

April 8-21, 2021

FOLLOWING DEADLY COVID OUTBREAK, INMATES AT SAN QUENTIN GRAPPLE WITH VACCINATIONS TRAS BROTE FATAL DE COVID-19, RECLUSOS DE SAN QUINTÍN ESTÁN INDECISOS A VACUNARSE Juan Moreno Haines and Kevin Deroi Sawyer

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El Tecolote

ast July, San Quentin State Prison was home to one of the nation’s most severe coronavirus outbreaks, which killed 28 prisoners and one staff member. In January, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation began distributing vaccinations to the men inside, many of whom are still traumatized by the outbreak, suffering from an extended, one-year lockdown, and distrustful of medical treatment from the state. It was under these circumstances that the men in blue grappled with their feelings on vaccinations and what it would mean for the future of San Quentin State Prison following “the worst epidemiological disaster in California correctional history,” as a state appeals court deemed. A survey conducted by myself, an incarcerated journalist, and my incarcerated reporting colleague Kevin Deroi Sawyer, polled 209 of the approximately 1,500 general population prisoners housed in San Quentin’s North and West Blocks. 178 prisoners responded between Jan. 25 and Feb. 15, sharing thoughts that ranged from willingness to receive a vaccine and return to rehabilitative, educational and workforce programs; hesitation while people outside remain unvaccinated; and apprehension of prison medical care. Among these opinions, there’s a concern commonly shared inside: that the rush to vaccinate prisoners is also an attempt to avoid significantly decarcerating the long-overcrowded prison. Last fall, a judge ruled that the CDCR must release or transfer half of San Quentin’s population, a directive that has since been on hold. The department of corrections prioritized “COVID-naive patients who have the highest risk of serious consequences from COVID-19,” according to a Jan. 29 newsletter produced by prison officials. It continued that prison officials are “working with the California Department of Public Health to determine who can be offered the vaccine next.” “COVID-naive” refers to the people at San Quentin who never tested positive for the virus, which infected at least two-thirds of the population. (The CDC recommends that people who have recovered from COVID-19 should still receive the vaccine.) John Gillies, 57, and Harry Goodall, 45, took the first of two vaccinations under this category. Goodall said he’s been tested 22 times for coronavirus, “ever since July.” They’ve all come back negative. “A rationally minded individual would deduce his health and safety interest to take the vaccine,” said Goodall, incarcerated 22 years. “It’s See VACCINE SURVEY, page 10

Illustration: Orlando Smith Juan Moreno Haines and Kevin Deroi Sawyer

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El Tecolote

l pasado julio, la Prisión Estatal de San Quintín sufrió uno de los brotes de coronavirus más graves del país, que causó la muerte de 28 presos y un empleado. En enero, el Departamento de Correccionales y Rehabilitación de California (CDCR, por sus siglas en inglés) comenzó a distribuir vacunas entre los internos, muchos de los cuales además de estar todavía traumatizados por el brote, sufren por el encierro prolongado de un año y desconfían del tratamiento médico que brinda el estado. Bajo estas circunstancias, los reclusos, uniformados de azul, se enfrentan a la disyuntiva entre su postura sobre las vacunas y lo que significa para el futuro de la prisión estatal de San Quintín tras “el peor desastre epidemiológico de la historia de los centros penitenciarios de California”, como consideró un tribunal de apelación estatal. En una encuesta realizada por mí, periodista encarcelado, y mi colega reportero, Vea SAN QUINTÍN, página 7

Manifestantes sostienen carteles con mensajes contra el sistema penitenciario durante la protesta frente a la prisión estatal de San Quintín el domingo 28 de junio de 2020. Protesters hold signs with messages against the prison system, during the protest outside San Quentin State Prison on Sunday, Jun. 28, 2020. Photo: Harika Maddala/ Golden Gate Xpress


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