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State Prison Inmate’s Diary Details The Ordeal Of Battling COVID-19 Behind Bars

Gwynne Hogan

and

Jacob Dobkin

Published Jan 26, 2021

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Prison bars.

Dan Henson / Shutterstock

Gwynne Hogan

and

Jacob Dobkin

Published Jan 26, 2021

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More than 1,000 people incarcerated in New York State’s prison system are fighting active COVID-19 infections, and six have died from the coronavirus so far this month. The outbreaks affect approximately half of the state’s 52 prisons, and the Corrections Department halted visits and implemented a surveillance testing plan for inmates in late December. Since the start of the pandemic 30 incarcerated people and seven Corrections Department workers have died from COVID-19.

There is currently no timeline for when incarcerated people will start to get vaccinated.

The following is the diary of a man incarcerated at Woodbourne Correctional Facility in the Catskills, where the virus has infected more than 200 people and killed two men over the course of the last three months.

The author’s name is being withheld because he fears retaliation from the Corrections Department and the parole board. The man, who has been incarcerated for more than two decades, is a diabetic in his late 50s who caught COVID-19 and was put in a quarantine cell block. Some prisoners have access to tablets that allow them to email friends and loved ones on the outside through a secured system called JPay. In phone conversations with WNYC/Gothamist after his recovery, he described typing feverish dispatches on the tablet and sending them to his fiance, fearful he might not survive. She corroborated much of his account.

In response to the inmate’s account, Thomas Mailey, a spokesman for the Corrections Department, said the Department contact traces and quarantines people who are exposed to COVID-19 and inmates there are treated by nurses twice a day to check their symptoms and take their temperatures.

“The Department takes seriously its obligation to provide the community standard of care for those under our care,” he said. “Staff have worked tirelessly to maintain that standard throughout the duration of our response to the COVID-19 public health emergency.”

The following has been edited and condensed for clarity.

December 2nd, 2020

The Corrections Officer (CO) approached me in my prison dorm (56 inmates in dorm) and informed me that I tested positive for COVID-19. I had to hurry and pack up, and I started to have a mini anxiety attack (I am OK now). Several COs in PPE transported my property. After I moved into my cell with my "property" I asked a CO for some toilet paper, and as expected, he refused.

December 3rd, 2020

I wake up at 6 a.m. Breakfast was cornflakes, a cup of milk and an apple. This cell is very small. There is a toilet, a bed, a sink and two small lockers. The toilet just stopped working. I cannot see the other men while we are locked in, there are about five or six others, just the inmate whose cell is across from me (through a very small barred window). There is a mute inmate quarantined with me. He made some noise this morning to try to get the COs attention. Thank God the CO responded.

It’s 12:26 p.m. and the inmate across from me is yelling out, "I am diabetic. I didn't get my food or insulin!" Another inmate down the hall is yelling out that he has not gotten his mattress, pillow or property yet. Two nurses and a CO walked around doing temperature checks. I am getting a little hungry now. I am trying to ration my personal food. The prison food is horrible. Thank God I have two and a half jars of peanut butter, tuna fish and some other items. I try to anticipate and prepare for situations like this. Prisoners tend to be “preppers.”

I spent the next 40 minutes looking out the window. There were three cats roaming outside my window in the parking lot. I haven't seen cats in 24 years. These cats are huge. Food (at least for cats) must be good around here. I see under my window cars in the COs/staff parking lot and light traffic on the rural highway and hills/mountains in the distance. I had no view from my dorm. Love the beautiful sunrise and sunset.

Listen to reporter Gwynne Hogan's radio story for WNYC:

December 4th, 2020

Woke up at 4 a.m. on the dot this morning. Prayed for about an hour. It is so quiet you can hear a pin drop. I like this peace and quiet -- a contrast to the dorm. Tomorrow is my mom's birthday. My dad passed last year due to a stroke. I was very close to my dad. One of the hardest things in my life, not being with my dad for his last days. I was hoping he would see me exonerated, or at least out of prison.

December 6th, 2020

I woke up around 3 a.m. this morning. Turned on the radio to Bloomberg. Reception was spotty. A CO walked by and told an inmate to take his towel off the window. The inmate stated that it is cold and air is blowing through the window. I have also had a towel covering my window for the same reason. I hope he does not write us up because we don't need the repercussions. Can't risk a ticket before going to the parole board. I am developing a dry cough from the cold air seeping through the window. Don't know if I should mention that to the nurse during her rounds tonight.

December 7th, 2020

I had a severe dry cough last night. It seems to have gotten a little better this morning. It's quite cold in here. I am wearing a sweatshirt, sweatpants, hat and socks, and getting ready to pull a blanket over me. Air leaking through the window. It is very difficult to lie in a bed all day. There is no desk or chair in here. I had a headache yesterday and today, general malaise. More individuals were brought to the quarantine unit. Living in a dorm, it is IMPOSSIBLE to social distance. I believe COVID is going to spread like a wildfire in this prison.

December 9th, 2020

Just heard that COVID is spreading in all the dorms. I have already signed a Do Not Resuscitate order. I hope I am able to make it to my parole board hearing. I wonder if the parole commissioners know what’s going on in here. More inmates are being brought into our quarantine unit. This is not good news. We feel trapped in here. As it is, our medications are not arriving on time and inmates are not able to go to sick call.

December 10th, 2020

I have no energy to type this entry, but I need to continue documenting. I was tossing and turning last night. My body was sore; my head was pounding.

December 11th, 2020

I have no energy to document anything today. Will try later. Feeling chills, dizzy etc.

December 12th, 2020

I am feeling a bit better this morning, but very weak. Yesterday, I thought I was dying. When I got up to pick up my lunch tray I almost passed out. I came back to my cell. And started to feel dizzy. I called out to the CO and he responded "I am handing out the trays. What do you want?" I didn't have the energy to respond.

December 13th, 2020

I have no energy to type, no energy to even stand, no appetite, throbbing headache. I am all out of ibuprofen since a doctor discontinued that prescription. Medical not responding to my letters. No medication forthcoming.

December 14th, 2020

After begging for Motrin for the past five days, last night at 7:30 pm, a nurse brought me 3 packets of Motrin. In addition, she checked my blood sugar level. To my shock it was 300. No wonder I have no strength and no appetite. I thought I was going to die soon. I am on oral diabetes meds. I think I have lost some 15 lbs. This is why I have been sleeping all day and having no energy. Another day and I could have been in a coma. Thank God for this nurse.

I again requested that I be seen by medical personnel because I had trouble breathing. Approx. 1-2 hours later the Physician’s Assistant came to my cell block. She looked at me and said, "there is nothing wrong with you.” She walked away. Later in the afternoon I, along with other inmates, were escorted to the clinic for a COVID test. I could barely walk. While waiting in the yard (outside the clinic) a Lieutenant walked by. I told him I couldn't breathe. He immediately got me to see a nurse. When the nurse saw that my oxygen level was low, she called the PA (the very same PA who told me earlier in the day that there was nothing wrong with me) who asked me if I wanted to go to the hospital. I said yes. I was transported by ambulance to Catskill Regional Hospital.

December 19th, 2020

I was transferred to Albany Medical Center (They have a secure unit for prisoners). I was grateful to be admitted to Albany Med. since my shackles could finally come off. The doctors and nurses at both hospitals provided excellent care.

December 28th, 2020

I was released from Albany Med. and was moved back to a quarantine unit at my facility. Upon arriving at the facility I learned that two inmates died during this recent COVID outbreak. I still have some trouble breathing. I am also feeling extremely weak and have some lingering memory issues. The most significant symptom I have now is trouble walking. Hopefully, I will get better over time. My only goal is to make parole and get back to my family.

Tagged

COVID-19

coronavirus

prison

Gwynne Hogan

Gwynne Hogan is a former Gothamist reporter.

Jacob Dobkin

Jake Dobkin co-founded Gothamist with Jen Chung. In 2019, Jake released Ask a Native New Yorker, a book based on his Gothamist advice column.

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

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