This testimony was a declaration from the May 7, 2020 filing of a new class action lawsuit over jail conditions related to COVID-19 on behalf of prisoners at Santa Rita Jail against the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office.
I am currently an inmate in Santa Rita Jail, the County Jail for Alameda County. I believe I recently tested positive for the corona virus. I’m not sure because the jail did not give me any information, they only put me in the housing unit for those inmates who have tested positive. I am not symptomatic.
I was in Housing Unit (HU) 6. In mid-March, for about three days, I had a cough. I never had a fever, I never had body aches. Then on April 12, 2020, six men from HU6 were removed and placed in Housing Unit 8A. From what other inmates told me, 8A is for those suspected of being infected by the corona virus. However, the Jail did not test me, and the next day, Monday April 13, 2022, they moved me back to HU6. From the 13th on, the jail tested my temperature every day, twice a day. I don’t believe I was running a temperature and I felt normal.
On Thursday, April 16, 2020, all of the sudden, the jail moved me back to Housing Unit 8A, and on Friday, April 17, 2020, they swabbed my nose, which I believe is the test for corona. On Monday, April 20, 2020, the jail moved me into Housing Unit 8C, which the other inmates tell me is for those inmates who have tested positive. The jail itself has told me nothing. No doctor, no nurse, no deputy has told me what is going on. No doctor, no nurse, no deputy has told me I have tested positive for the coronavirus. No doctor, no nurse, no deputy has told me what will happen or how long I will stay here.
On Thursday, April 16, 2020, all of the sudden, the jail moved me back to Housing Unit 8A, and on Friday, April 17, 2020, they swabbed my nose, which I believe is the test for corona. On Monday, April 20, 2020, the jail moved me into Housing Unit 8C, which the other inmates tell me is for those inmates who have tested positive. The jail itself has told me nothing. No doctor, no nurse, no deputy has told me what is going on. No doctor, no nurse, no deputy has told me I have tested positive for the coronavirus. No doctor, no nurse, no deputy has told me what will happen or how long I will stay here.
Back in HU6, there was no social distancing until about two weeks ago. The reason there was no social distancing was because there were too many people. However, about two weeks ago, the jail started moving people out, and started the split tier pod, so now a prisoner can practice social distancing, although many don’t. Of course, I had a cell mate that whole time, so I could not practice social distancing from him.
I am concerned about whether I actually have the corona virus and how long I have had it. I am concerned if I have had it since my cough a month ago, because I was around a lot of inmates, and I could have passed it along to them.