When Amy Campbell first entered COVID-19 quarantine on August 4th, 2021 at FCI Waseca, she did not anticipate that during her isolation, she would experience multiple emotional breakdowns and a decline in her physical health. All anyone can ask for when they are being quarantined for COVID-19, already strenuous on the body, is a bit of comfort. But for Amy, and many other incarcerated people, COVID-19 quarantine only means more punishment.
Amy was forced to quarantine in the SHU, or Special Housing Unit, a place commonly known for its unjust and outrageous conditions. The cruel conditions of Amy’s quarantine began before she even entered her cell; prior to being escorted into the SHU, guards handcuffed Amy and all quarantining incarcerated persons. Rightfully confused as to why she needed to be handcuffed, Amy asked the guards for an explanation. They vaguely responded, “it’s standard protocol for any inmate entering the SHU to be handcuffed.” Later, she was told by a different guard that all incarcerated persons in the SHU are treated the same, regardless of whether they are in there for quarantine or for punishment.
The inside of Amy’s cell was filthy. She reports that “there was hair and lint all over the floor. The shower had garbage in it from the packets they give for shampoo.” This unhygienic and unlivable cell would be where Amy would live for 16 days, isolated. To add to her discomfort, Amy described her mattress as “paper thin,” as she could “feel the steel underneath” it.
Amy’s experience in the SHU was also medically dangerous. Upon arrival, Amy was taken off most of her medications because the medical staff claimed they don’t treat certain conditions with her medications. Amy described her health conditions to us: “I have two bulging discs in my neck with severe deterioration of the cartilage between those two discs, which causes nerve pain and migraines. And I also have osteoarthritis. The three meds I came with that were stopped immediately were Imitrex for migraines, Clonidine for anxiety and high blood pressure, and Tylenol for arthritis. I was also taking Gabapentin for the nerve pain and Rimeron for sleeping.” The medical staff weaned Amy off all these medications on the basis that they don’t administer pain medication in the SHU and don’t treat sleeping conditions. Of course, this lack of necessary medication left Amy in an immense and unimaginable amount of pain.
Then there was the emotional pain. Amy experienced 2 emotional breakdowns in the SHU. When she tried to seek assistance, she was told she would need to fill out a copout to medical or psych, which can take an unreasonably long period of time to be reviewed. She was also barred from making a phone call for the first six days of her quarantine. Even when she was finally told she could make a phone call, she reports that the guards were always busy and ran out of time. This meant Amy had no contact with family or friends during her quarantine. To add to this isolation, Amy and all other incarcerated persons quarantining were not allowed to go to recreation. In other words, Amy was in a 24 hour lockdown.
Amy expressed the toll this experience had on her, explaining, “the 16 days that I was in the SHU, I will never get back. It was the hardest thing that I have ever went through. I have never felt so alone in my life.” Amy is requesting 50 days for every day that she was in the SHU, a more than reasonable request due to the impact that the conditions of the SHU inflicted upon her, both physically and emotionally. Now, we ask: was this COVID-19 quarantine a fair quarantine, or extra punishment?
Amy’s experience quarantining is representative of a larger issue, which is that prisons are simply unfit to handle COVID-19 and quarantines. The solution cannot be to make minor changes, move things around, or add to the false promises of “medical safety” within prisons. The only solution is dismantling the system, one which was never meant to keep incarcerated persons safe or healthy.
When Amy Campbell first entered COVID-19 quarantine on August 4th, 2021 at FCI Waseca, she did not anticipate that during her isolation, she would experience multiple emotional breakdowns and a decline in her physical health. All anyone can ask for when they are being quarantined for COVID-19, already strenuous on the body, is a bit of comfort. But for Amy, and many other incarcerated people, COVID-19 quarantine only means more punishment.
Amy was forced to quarantine in the SHU, or Special Housing Unit, a place commonly known for its unjust and outrageous conditions. The cruel conditions of Amy’s quarantine began before she even entered her cell; prior to being escorted into the SHU, guards handcuffed Amy and all quarantining incarcerated persons. Rightfully confused as to why she needed to be handcuffed, Amy asked the guards for an explanation. They vaguely responded, “it’s standard protocol for any inmate entering the SHU to be handcuffed.” Later, she was told by a different guard that all incarcerated persons in the SHU are treated the same, regardless of whether they are in there for quarantine or for punishment.
The inside of Amy’s cell was filthy. She reports that “there was hair and lint all over the floor. The shower had garbage in it from the packets they give for shampoo.” This unhygienic and unlivable cell would be where Amy would live for 16 days, isolated. To add to her discomfort, Amy described her mattress as “paper thin,” as she could “feel the steel underneath” it.
Amy’s experience in the SHU was also medically dangerous. Upon arrival, Amy was taken off most of her medications because the medical staff claimed they don’t treat certain conditions with her medications. Amy described her health conditions to us: “I have two bulging discs in my neck with severe deterioration of the cartilage between those two discs, which causes nerve pain and migraines. And I also have osteoarthritis. The three meds I came with that were stopped immediately were Imitrex for migraines, Clonidine for anxiety and high blood pressure, and Tylenol for arthritis. I was also taking Gabapentin for the nerve pain and Rimeron for sleeping.” The medical staff weaned Amy off all these medications on the basis that they don’t administer pain medication in the SHU and don’t treat sleeping conditions. Of course, this lack of necessary medication left Amy in an immense and unimaginable amount of pain.
Then there was the emotional pain. Amy experienced 2 emotional breakdowns in the SHU. When she tried to seek assistance, she was told she would need to fill out a copout to medical or psych, which can take an unreasonably long period of time to be reviewed. She was also barred from making a phone call for the first six days of her quarantine. Even when she was finally told she could make a phone call, she reports that the guards were always busy and ran out of time. This meant Amy had no contact with family or friends during her quarantine. To add to this isolation, Amy and all other incarcerated persons quarantining were not allowed to go to recreation. In other words, Amy was in a 24 hour lockdown.
Amy expressed the toll this experience had on her, explaining, “the 16 days that I was in the SHU, I will never get back. It was the hardest thing that I have ever went through. I have never felt so alone in my life.” Amy is requesting 50 days for every day that she was in the SHU, a more than reasonable request due to the impact that the conditions of the SHU inflicted upon her, both physically and emotionally. Now, we ask: was this COVID-19 quarantine a fair quarantine, or extra punishment?
Amy’s experience quarantining is representative of a larger issue, which is that prisons are simply unfit to handle COVID-19 and quarantines. The solution cannot be to make minor changes, move things around, or add to the false promises of “medical safety” within prisons. The only solution is dismantling the system, one which was never meant to keep incarcerated persons safe or healthy.
