A Message About Vaccines and Visits From ERDCC
We received the following message regarding vaccines and visits from an incarcerated man at ERDCC in Bonne Terre. This message includes the email that Jeff Norman, Director of Adult Institutions, sent out to the incarcerated regarding these issues.
"The department continues to SHOW they do not care about the health and safety of us, our families, or the public. Today, 4/15/21, we received the below email from the DOC. It says that we have to be fully vaccinated and that our families and us must wear masks to receive a visit June 1st. Our families don't have to be vaccinated---which is fine.
But
staff Do Not have to be vaccinated and staff Do Not have to wear
masks.
There
are so many problems with this and rights are being violated. First,
we don't go anywhere. It is STAFF who go in and out of these prisons,
interact with people, and contract COVID-19. STAFF are the ones who
gave/give us the virus and are the reason we are in this position in
the first place. So the one group that NEEDS to be fully vaccinated
and wear masks, is STAFF. That is the safest and only way to ensure
that our families and us don't catch the virus from STAFF. Because
staff are going to give COVID-19 to some visitors, since staff refuse
to wear masks or get vaccinated.
Next,
isn't Johnson and Johnson on pause and not being used right now? So
why is the DOC saying anything about using it?
Next,
we have the right, just like every other human being, to choose
whether or not to get the shots, but we are not suppose to be
discriminated against for whatever decision we make. Yet, the DOC is
DISCRIMINATING by not allowing visits to ALL offenders. If staff
don't have to be vaccinated and visitors don't have to be vaccinated,
then why do we have to be? The same screening or temperature check
for everyone else should be good enough for us too.
Lastly,
their email says when COVID conditions improve. As much as I wish
they would improve, the cases are still high across the country. In
Missouri alone, Fox 2 news reported yesterday there were over 400 new
cases and 107 deaths, and today they reported 540 new cases and 3
deaths. COVID isn't going anywhere yet, and as long as more
infectious and deadly variants keep popping up, the department
shouldn't make promises for the future. Instead, they should focus on
what we know and what will help keep everyone safe.
One
thing about the department is, a lot of things they do is about
money. The only reason for them to force shots on us, is money.
Because if it was about health and safety, they would have released
those of us with health issues who are within a year of parole
eligibility, they would force staff to wear masks and get vaccinated
to work here, and staff wouldn't be allowed to bring fentanyl into
prisons. Everything that is, and has been, going on in here is
staff's fault. They created this unsafe, inhumane, unhealthy
environment. But for some reason, they keep trying to act like
inmates and our families are the problem.
'TO
ALL OFFENDERS:
As
we work toward returning to some kind of normal within our
institutions, there has been a lot of discussion about visiting. I
know how important it is to each of you to receive visits from family
and friends. Previously, you were informed that the goal is to resume
visiting after 70% of the population has been vaccinated. However, I
would like to announce beginning June 1, we will open visiting for
all offenders who have been fully vaccinated! You are considered
fully vaccinated two weeks after your second dose of the Pfizer or
Moderna vaccine or one dose of the Johnson and Johnson
vaccine.
There
will be a few restrictions, including requiring all offenders and
visitors to wear a mask, limiting the visiting rooms to 50% capacity
and screening visitors to help ensure they do not have COVID. At this
time, visitors are not required to be vaccinated.
This
requirement is not permanent. As more people get the vaccination and
as conditions with COVID improve, we will resume regular visiting for
everyone, including those who have not been vaccinated. At this time,
it is not possible to put a date on that.
If
you signed up for the vaccine with medical, please continue to get
the vaccine when available. If you did not sign up, medical will be
reaching out soon to give you another opportunity to get it. I
encourage all of you to get vaccinated so that you can begin visiting
as soon as possible.
Jeff
Norman
DAI
Director'"
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