SCI FOREST COVID-19 PANDEMIC REPORT – 23 HOUR LOCKDOWNS, NO EXERCISE, NO FRESH AIR, NO PRIVACY

IN SEARCH OF FATHERHOOD® received the following  report from an incarcerated soul at SCI Forest in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania who contracted COVID-19.  We are not disclosing the author of the note to protect his identity and prevent him from being the victim of retaliatory actions.  

“I wanted to update everyone on my health and the COVID outbreak in  SCI Forest.in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the United States.   After one week of nonstop coughing, it has slowed down. I still can't take a deep breath. A nurse said the damage to my lungs could last 6 months or longer. A lot of people compare this to the flu. Not even close!  I've also heard that the Department of Corrections said most Pennsylvania prisoners who had the virus were asymptomatic. That's wrong. They say this because most prisoners who got COVID from staff, never reported it. If someone hadn't told on me for coughing, I'd never have reported symptoms. People ask why? We're tired of being locked down. We are locked in a tiny cell 23 plus hours per day with another man. No privacy, no exercise, no fresh air. I've been allowed outside once for 15 mins in the last 3 months. This is why they say 80% of prisoners who had COVID were asymptomatic. No, we weren’t! We just never reported symptoms because we're aching to be allowed outside. Okay.  Superintendent Oberlander just gave us the new numbers.  . SCI Forest has 25 active prisoner cases. - 939 recovered,. 4 deaths and a total of 968 positive cases. Staff -  5 staff members actively positive, 140 staff members recovered, no deaths among staff due to COVID.   No prisoners or staff currently in hospital. Statewide – 577 Prisoners: actively positive, 8,848 Prisoners Recovered, 96 prisoners have died. Total of 9,521 positive cases among prisoners statewide.. Staff statewide: 271 staff members actively positive, 3,704 staff members recovered, and deaths among staff members due to COVID-19 and total statewide of 3,979 staff infected with COVID-19.. All 25 prisons are having increases in cases. 100 prisoners here at SCI Forest randomly chosen to do a surgery on vaccine. I was not chosen. Super. Oberlander also said he believes the vaccine for SCI Forest is "weeks out, not months".  

On a separate note, we were told by Deputy Oppman from Central Office who issued a memo on 4 February 2021 that Department of Corrections  will provide paperwork for inmates to file for a second stimulus check. We were told to write to our Unit Manager and ask for them. If you're in contact with Women Lifers, please inform them. They need this too. Please spread the word. Thank you. Stay safe. Grateful,

How can you help this soul and other incarcerated Men and Women languishing in correctional facilities throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania who have either contracted COVID-19 or are vulnerable to contracting and dying from COVID-19 because they are aging and elderly or because they have pre-existing medical conditions?  Contact your state legislator (https:.//www.legis.state.pa.us/) and ask him or her to support an Accelerated Commutation Proposal  Accelerated Commutation-Resolving COVID-19 Prison Pandemic - The Good Men Project which would release aging and elderly incarcerated souls an incarcerated souls with pre-existing conditions who could die from COVID-19.