Tag Archives: coronavirus
Too Late for Torrick
November 22, 2020 Current Affairsbop.gov, coronavirus, coronavirus in prisons, Corrlinks.com, COVID-19, inmate deaths, inmate locator, MCFP, MCFP Springfield Missouri, Medical Center for Federal Prisoners, Press Release, Springfield Missouri, Torrick Lyles, United States Federal Bureau of Prisonswaynetdowdy
By Marshall Astor from San Pedro, United States – United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10385597
Anytime I receive a message from the Corrlinks automated response that someone on my approved contact list no longer has access to the Trust Fund Limited Inmate Computer System, I assume that the person was put on restriction for a limited time as a disciplinary sanction, or released to the streets or to a halfway house, alive.
That changed on November 20, 2020.
Each week I send a variety of messages to my approved Corrlinks' contact list. Most of what I send relate to the Coronavirus inside the United States Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) or Wisconsin Department of Corrections, or articles that I find online or write that I feel will be of interest to those trapped Inside the system.
While reviewing a previous newsletter I sent inside with several Press Releases from the BOP for COVID-19 deaths in November 2020, I noticed a name that seemed familiar. I checked and was saddened to see he was who I thought. He had reached out for help, but I did not feel I was qualified; however, this blog post is in his honor.
Though it is a little too late for Torrick, maybe it will inspire others to take action to prevent people on the Inside from having the same fate as Torrick.
Torrick was one of the 141 confirmed deaths on November 20, 2020, inside the BOP from COVID-19 and one of hundreds of inmates that the BOP did not release for health concerns when given authority to do so. He was unfortunate in not having an attorney to fight for his release.
When he contacted me, it would have been too late for an attorney to have done anything for him because of the judicial process, and because he tested positive for COVID-19 six days later.
Within thirty days, he died after requesting I expose the prison for their unsafe practices that exposed staff and inmates to COVID-19 infections, in part, because the Springfield Medical Center for Federal Prisoners' failed to take proper action to protect its inmates in accordance with CDC guidelines.
Automated Message
CorrLinks
Tue, Nov 17, 4:50 AM
Inmate 16873076 – LYLES, TORRICK T no longer has access to the Trust Fund Limited Inmate Computer System; therefore, he/she may not send or receive messages. El preso 16873076 – LYLES, TORRICK T ya no tiene acceso al sistema de computadora limitada de presos del fondo fiduciario; por lo tanto, el/ella no puede enviar o recibir mensajes.
Inmate Locator (bop.gov)
TORRICK T LYLES
Register Number: 16873-076
Race: Black
Deceased: 11/14/2020
BOP Press Release
The day before I received that automated message from Corrlinks, I sent the following Press Release and others from November in to those on my Corrlinks Contact list:
U.S. Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Prisons
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 16, 2020
Inmate Death at MCFP Springfield WASHINGTON, D.C.:
On Wednesday, October 21, 2020, inmate Torrick Lyles tested positive for COVID-19 and was placed in medical isolation at the Medical Center for Federal Prisoners (MCFP) Springfield, in Springfield, Missouri. He received daily symptom checks and was assigned to a unit with 24-hour nursing staff where he was evaluated for respiratory distress. On Sunday, October 25, 2020, he was transferred to a local for further treatment and evaluation. On Saturday, November 14, 2020, Mr. Lyles, who had long-term pre-existing medical conditions, which the CDC lists as risk factors for developing more severe COVID-19 disease, was pronounced deceased by local hospital staff.
Mr. Lyles was a 43-year-old male who was sentenced in the Western District of Tennessee to an aggregated 358-month sentence for Use of Telephone to Maliciously Convey False Information, Tampering with a Witness, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Conspiracy to Commit an Offense Against the United States, Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, and Carrying/Using a Firearm During and In Relation to Drug Trafficking. He had been in custody at MCFP Springfield since September 28, 2017. MCFP Springfield is an administrative security facility that currently houses 835 male offenders. The Bureau of Prisons will continue to provide daily updates and information on actions related to COVID-19 at http://www.bop.gov/coronavirus/index.jsp. Additional information about the Bureau of Prisons can be found at http://www.bop.gov.
Click to access 20201116-press_release_spg.pdf
Last Correspondence with Torrick
Previously, Mr. Lyles had written to me the following because I sent in a lot of information about COVID-19 and issues affecting prisoners:
"From: TORRICK T LYLES (16873076)
"They Panicking and Stacking Positive Inmates In One Dorm The News needs to Know This I Suffer from Dialysis and They still Not trying to Release the sick Can you get me some Help Or Put This Prison On The News
"TORRICK T LYLES on 10/15/2020 3:23:16 PM wrote
Springfield Missouri Medical Center Is Having a Major Out break 40-Plus inmates Done Tested Positive"
Though I did not know Torrick Lyles on a personal level, learning of his death disturbed me after I realized he had sent me the emails. Perhaps he felt that the end of his life was near and wanted to fight but knew that his failing health could not survive a round with COVID-19.
In retrospect, I wish I had taken the time to write a blog about the institution as he requested, since I knew that, historically, the Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri, had once been plagued with medical malpractice suits that lead to a moratorium being placed on it by the courts.
I may be too late for Torrick to know that his life mattered enough for someone to take the time to do as he suggested, but now that I have, I hope others who cry out for help will know that their lives matter, even if a person cannot do what may be wanted. May Torrick rest in peace in knowing that his life did matter.
Another One by Wayne T. Dowdy
October 28, 2020 Uncategorizedcoronavirus, COVID-19, Deer, Election Year, McDonough GA, Social Finance, SOFI, Whitetail Deerwaynetdowdy
Photo shown as taken at Big Springs Park, McDonough GA
I watched leaves fall from trees due to high winds from a storm and then it hit me, That's why they call this season Fall, all of the leaves fall from the trees. And Spring is Spring because life springs up from the ground. Rocket Science, huh? 🙂
Now that October has ended and November began, here comes D-Day, as in a Dreaded Day for the loser in the United States Presidential Election. I'm not a fan of either party!
October was an unusual month for me. I lost more money in the stock market than ever before, caused by me making a poor decision and for not doing what I originally planned. For instance, seeing premarket indicators to sell some shares and then bought more instead because I saw another fluctuation in the numbers that made me think I would make more money.
Greed Cost Me!
Well, it worked for a few dollars and then turned on me. Because SoFi (an American online personal finance company that I use to buy and sell stocks) has me limited on daily transactions and prevented me from selling when I saw the numbers dropping again, I lost more money instead of gaining. But it is all good. I am okay and lived to fight another day.
Today I chose to see things from a different perspective, with the main point being that I am still alive and kickin' after all these years. Life is Good!
An attitude of gratitude carries me a long way and helps me feel better about life.
I am fortunate to have only lost as little as what I did, and to still have over ninety percent of my investment. The few dollars lost will return after all of the political BS ends, providing that the Coronavirus doesn't create more havoc than it has done across America and abroad.
Either way, though, I will be okay and am blessed to be in the position that I am in because I do have the basic necessities of life: food, shelter, and am in reasonably good health. I sympathize with those who cannot say the same and hope that one day their lives will change so that they can.
Personally, one year ago, I did not have money to invest in the stock market. On July 18, 2019, I got my first and only job since my release from prison, and then started a business two months later. I did not have a vehicle to drive and dodge deer in the road. Life changes.
Each day that I commute to and from work, I travel over twenty miles on a rural State Route. One section of the highway runs through a State Park. Signs warn to watch for Deer Crossing for Next Three Miles.
The deer don't always comply and stay in their lanes. Even when they do and have the right a way, many motorists don't have time to stop and another one goes down. During two days of travel last week, I saw six dead deer on the side of the roads.
Whitetail Deer Running Alongside Road
On Wednesday morning, October 28, 2020, I almost ran over two young bucks (male whitetail deer) that stood in the road trying to fight as I approached at 55 miles per hour, on a dreary night with low-dense fog.
I hit the brakes and got within twenty yards from where both stood. One turned to exit the roadway but then turned back to face its opponent, like he was confused on whether to run to get away from the danger or continue to fight. Ironically, in the lane I was travelling in at a speed that would terminate its existence and total my car.
His chance of survival in a collision was low. He didn't stand a chance!
The next night during my travel, an opossum almost entered into the danger zone but turned back in the other direction.
In recent months, I swerved to dodge squirrels, and opossums, too, as I do all within my power to avoid taking a life; any life, whether it be animals or insects, I prefer to Live and Let Live.
Earlier in the month, I also hit the brakes to swerve and dodge a careless driver who pulled out in front of me without looking. Thankfully, my superb driving skills prevented an accident. God was with us!
One thing that I noticed after my release from federal prison was an increase in animals killed on the Georgia roads. Nothing changed since then, other than the numbers of dead animals I cannot begin to estimate. Our population growth takes away their land and lives. 😦
One night while driving home from a job site in North Atlanta, I saw a deer grazing along a narrow passageway on Interstate 75, where a large wall separated the deer from the small wooded area where it most likely lived, in the city.
The main type of animals I've seen killed on the roads are whitetail deer, opossums, racoons, squirrels, rabbits, and armadillos, the latter of which many people rejoice in a population reduction of because of the damage armadillos cause to their yards.
Tuesday, November 3, 2020, is Election Day in America. Civil unrest is expected in some states, with Georgia being one, if the preferred party does not win. For me, though, I don't care who wins or loses, I simply look forward to it ending. Not only because of its disruption in the stock market and social media and all news channels, just so we, as American citizens can move on to the next line of BS that is sure to follow with a new group of elected officials.
During the 2016 Presidential Election, my life was much different when I wrote Politics & Prisons, where I spoke out against insane practices by prison administrators and voiced my opinion on the Elections and politics in general.
"PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: My view on politics is that the Democrats represent the lawyers trying to sue the big businesses represented by the Republicans. Politicians deceive voters when they run on a platform and promise to vote a certain way on an issue, but then vote otherwise when elected because of their party line agenda."
The quote above sums it up. Regardless of who wins any of the elections, he or she will probably act contrary to promises made during the campaign trail. For me, I will continue to live my life in the best way possible to stay in harmony with the Universe by dodging deer and staying safe in a volatile stock market, created by the political atmosphere and COVID-19.
August 3, 2020 Current Affairs, My Life as a Free Man, UncategorizedAttorney General Barr, Compassionate Release, coronavirus, Corrlinks, COVID-19, FIRST STEP act, United States Federal Bureau of Prisonswaynetdowdy
COVID-19 entered the United States Federal Bureau of Prisons without chains or restraints in early 2020. Since then the United States Attorney General ordered the BOP to place more inmates on home confinement to reduce the risk of exposure to vulnerable inmates but judges ordered the release of more of the incarcerated than the BOP.
As is normal for the Backwards On Purpose agency, very few inmates at risk were placed on home confinement, many who have now died because of the incompetence of their keepers.
Several of my incarcerated subscribers expressed concerns over the lack of response by BOP officials to protect them from contracting the virus. I sent in copies of memorandums and reported claims presented to the public about all that the BOP was doing to comply with CDC guidelines to prevent/control the spread of COVID-19.
Numerous subscribers responded and stated that the information was all lies, that staff wasn't wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as masks and gloves, even while feeding the meals, some openly coughing while serving food. Various media sources reported staff complaints about not having PPE and feeling at risk because of the lack of PPE and mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic inside the confines of the BOP.
BOP officials basically ignored Attorney General Barr's instruction to release more inmates on home confinement. That is the same behavior as BOP officials had displayed when eligible prisoners were dying inside the system, rather than being released, when Congress urged the BOP to expand their Compassionate Release program, long before COVID-19 kicked in the doors and began taking the lives of the captives.
The BOP changed the controlling policy but did not change their practices. The latest revision of the Compassionate Release program statement is as follows:
Policy Statement NUMBER 5050.50
DATE January 17, 2019,
Compassionate Release/Reduction in Sentence: Procedures for Implementation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 3582 and 4205(g)
That is the same BS mentality of the BOP officials, who did modify the Compassionate Release/Reduction in Sentence program statement but did not follow its guidance, which has now lead to the deaths of over 105 of their captives and the infection of several thousand.
Court officials have often stepped in and ordered the release of ill prisoners the BOP had refused to release, since Congress also passed into la the First Step Act that gave the federal courts jurisdiction (the power to act) to intervene when petitioners filed claims to challenge the denial of their request for compassionate release.
Prior to about 2016, the courts were powerless because the governing statutes gave the final say to BOP officials, the same ones who take an oath to keep men and women inside prisons for the duration of the given sentences, until death do they part.
(Because it is not relevant to this blog and is information easily found by those reading this online, I won't list articles or sources of information on the above content.)
INFORMATION FOR THE INCARCERATED
I am concluding this blog with some of the actual information I sent in to my subscribers on August 1, 2020 (I send in a variety of information but COVID-19 reports are now regular based upon popular demand).
Because of limits in Corrlinks (see Corrlinks Process on this website), I have to modify the information I collect from the BOP website and other sources to make content Corrlinks' friendly. With this post, I sent the content inside in two parts because it wouldn't fit into one email.
The information-starved, incarcerated individuals, often express gratitude for the content I send in free of charge to keep them informed about what is going on outside of their restricted environments. I am happy to be of service to those I sympathize with because of my history on the Inside.
08/03/2020: If viewing the following on a cellphone, the landscape view corrects data shown in what may be distorted rows and columns. I apologize for the inconvenience.
August 1, 2020, COVID-19 Update
Confirmed active cases at 106 BOP facilities and 43 Residential Reentry Centers (No RRCs included in this report)
https://www.bop.gov/coronavirus/
08/01/2020 – The BOP has 128,595 federal inmates in BOP-managed institutions and 13,806 in community-based facilities. The BOP staff complement is approximately 36,000. There are 2,308 federal inmates and 503 BOP staff who have confirmed positive test results for COVID-19 nationwide. Currently, 8,253 inmates and 708 staff have recovered. There have been 105 federal inmate deaths and 1 BOP staff member death attributed to COVID-19 disease. Of the inmate deaths, 4 occurred while on home confinement.
[To read numbers: the left column under the facility is Inmate confirmed cases (I), next is Staff (S), the third from left is Inmate Deaths (ID), the fourth column is Staff Deaths (SD); the fifth column is Inmates Recovered (IR) and the last Staff Recovered (SR).
Facility I.P. S.P. I.D. S.D. I.R. S.R. City State
Butner Low FCI 77 2 16 1 575 14 Butner NC
Seagoville FCI 549 12 3 0 769 14 Seagoville TX
Carswell FMC 244 2 3 0 296 1 Fort Worth TX
Coleman Low FCI 174 19 0 0 4 2 Sumterville FL
Coleman Medium FCI 129 29 1 0 11 0 Sumterville FL
Miami FCI 95 23 0 0 3 0 Miami FL
Miami FDC 86 15 1 0 1 20 Miami FL
Victorville Medium I FCI 78 7 0 0 71 0 Victorville CA
Marion USP 71 1 0 0 4 2 Marion IL
Edgefield FCI 65 20 0 0 0 1 Edgefield SC
Elkton FCI 63 2 9 0 938 51 Lisbon OH
Victorville Medium II FCI 48 8 0 0 2 2 Victorville CA
Victorville USP 46 12 0 0 46 1 Victorville CA
Forrest City Low FCI 38 3 0 0 641 4 Forrest City AR
Beaumont Low FCI 35 1 0 0 469 0 Beaumont TX
Lewisburg USP 35 0 0 0 0 1 Lewisburg PA
Coleman I USP 28 23 0 0 0 2 Sumterville FL
Loretto FCI 19 6 0 0 8 1 Loretto PA
Yazoo City USP 18 7 1 0 56 12 Yazoo City MS
Oklahoma City FTC 16 5 1 0 85 0 Oklahoma City OK
Beaumont Medium FCI 15 6 0 0 45 0 Beaumont TX
Guaynabo MDC 15 0 0 0 0 0 Guaynabo PR
Tucson FCI 15 6 0 0 0 1 Tucson AZ
Manchester FCI 14 9 0 0 33 0 Manchester KY
Three Rivers FCI 11 0 0 0 79 0 Three Rivers TX
Forrest City Medium FCI 9 10 0 0 3 5 Forrest City AR
San Diego MCC 9 1 0 0 2 0 San Diego CA
Fairton FCI 8 0 0 0 95 7 Fairton NJ
Fort Worth FMC 8 8 12 0 579 6 Fort Worth TX
Lompoc USP 7 0 2 0 164 24 Lompoc CA
New York MCC 7 5 0 0 16 41 New York NY
Tallahassee FCI 7 8 0 0 0 1 Tallahassee FL
Atlanta USP 6 8 0 0 14 8 Atlanta GA
Butner FMC 6 2 0 0 5 13 Butner NC
Talladega FCI 6 6 0 0 2 7 Talladega AL
Englewood FCI 5 0 0 0 4 1 Littleton CO
Houston FDC 5 5 0 0 7 0 Houston TX
Aliceville FCI 4 8 0 0 10 9 Aliceville AL
Bastrop FCI 4 5 0 0 0 2 Bastrop TX
Jesup FCI 4 16 1 0 252 3 Jesup GA
Oakdale I FCI 4 8 7 0 206 20 Oakdale LA
Atwater USP 3 6 0 0 0 3 Atwater CA
Memphis FCI 3 2 0 0 6 12 Memphis TN
Pollock FCI 3 2 0 0 0 1 Pollock LA
Pollock USP 3 9 0 0 0 2 Pollock LA
Springfield MCFP 3 1 0 0 1 0 Springfield MO
Terminal Island FCI 3 5 10 0 645 17 San Pedro CA
Beaumont USP 2 3 0 0 0 1 Beaumont TX
Bennettsville FCI 2 7 0 0 7 5 Bennettsville SC
Butner Medium I FCI 2 2 9 0 202 30 Butner NC
Florence FCI 2 1 0 0 0 3 Florence CO
Fort Dix FCI 2 0 0 0 37 5 Joint Base Mdl NJ
Los Angeles MDC 2 3 0 0 2 2 Los Angeles CA
Milan FCI 2 1 3 0 98 55 Milan MI
Sheridan FCI 2 0 0 0 0 0 Sheridan OR
Waseca FCI 2 2 0 0 2 0 Waseca MN
Allenwood Low FCI 1 0 0 0 0 0 Allenwood PA
Berlin FCI 1 0 0 0 0 0 Berlin NH
Chicago MCC 1 5 0 0 138 26 Chicago IL
Danbury FCI 1 2 1 0 89 61 Danbury CT
Devens FMC 1 1 2 0 50 6 Ayer MA
Dublin FCI 1 3 0 0 0 3 Dublin CA
Greenville FCI 1 4 0 0 1 0 Greenville IL
Herlong FCI 1 0 0 0 0 3 Herlong CA
Honolulu FDC 1 0 0 0 0 0 Honolulu HI
La Tuna FCI 1 5 0 0 0 7 Anthony TX
Leavenworth USP 1 1 0 0 0 5 Leavenworth KS
Marianna FCI 1 7 0 0 0 1 Marianna FL
McCreary USP 1 3 0 0 1 2 Pine Knot KY
Montgomery FPC 1 1 0 0 0 2 Montgomery AL
Otisville FCI 1 1 0 0 26 14 Otisville NY
Pekin FCI 1 0 0 0 0 0 Pekin IL
Philadelphia FDC 1 2 0 0 3 3 Philadelphia PA
Phoenix FCI 1 5 0 0 19 9 Phoenix AZ
Sandstone FCI 1 0 0 0 0 0 Sandstone MN
Schuylkill FCI 1 0 0 0 0 0 Minersville PA
SeaTac FDC 1 1 0 0 0 0 Seattle WA
Williamsburg FCI 1 4 0 0 0 0 Salters SC
Yazoo City Medium FCI 1 5 0 0 7 10 Yazoo City MS
Allenwood Medium FCI 0 0 0 0 0 1 White Deer PA
Allenwood USP 0 1 0 0 0 1 Allenwood PA
Ashland FCI 0 0 0 0 0 1 Ashland KY
Beckley FCI 0 0 0 0 0 1 Beaver WV
Big Sandy USP 0 2 0 0 0 0 Inez KY
Big Spring FCI 0 6 0 0 0 0 Big Spring TX
Brooklyn MDC 0 1 0 0 12 41 Brooklyn NY
Bryan FPC 0 2 0 0 1 0 Bryan TX
Butner Medium II FCI 0 1 0 0 3 1 Butner NC
Canaan USP 0 0 0 0 0 4 Waymart PA
Coleman II USP 0 14 0 0 2 2 Sumterville FL
Cumberland FCI 0 0 0 0 6 5 Cumberland
08/01/2020 Part II
Duluth FPC 0 0 0 0 1 0 Duluth MN
El Reno FCI 0 6 0 0 1 1 El Reno OK
Estill FCI 0 10 0 0 0 0 Estill SC
Gilmer FCI 0 0 0 0 5 0 Glenville WV
Hazelton FCI 0 3 0 0 0 2 Bruceton Mills WV
Hazelton USP 0 5 0 0 0 5 Bruceton Mills WV
Lee USP 0 1 0 0 0 1 Pennington Gap VA
Lexington FMC 0 0 8 0 227 11 Lexington KY
Lompoc FCI 0 1 2 0 809 16 Lompoc CA
McDowell FCI 0 0 0 0 0 2 Welch WV
Mendota FCI 0 6 0 0 1 3 Mendota CA
Morgantown FCI 0 0 0 0 0 1 Morgantown WV
Oakdale II FCI 0 8 1 0 7 6 Oakdale LA
Oxford FCI 0 3 0 0 1 1 Oxford WI
Pensacola FPC 0 2 0 0 0 1 Pensacola FL
Petersburg Low FCI 0 0 0 0 0 2 Hopewell VA
Ray Brook FCI 0 0 0 0 12 10 Ray Brook NY
Rochester FMC 0 1 0 0 0 1 Rochester MN
Safford FCI 0 2 0 0 0 0 Safford AZ
Terre Haute FCI 0 0 0 0 1 2 Terre Haute IN
Terre Haute USP 0 0 1 0 8 0 Terre Haute IN
Texarkana FCI 0 3 0 0 0 2 Texarkana TX
Thomson USP 0 0 0 0 3 1 Thomson IL
Tucson USP 0 4 0 0 0 2 Tucson AZ
Yazoo City Low FCI 0 4 2 0 96 9 Yazoo City MS
Privately-managed prisons are secure institutions operated by private companies under contract and oversight of the BOP. The majority of federal inmates in private prisons are sentenced criminal aliens who will be deported upon completion of their sentence. Unlike federal inmates housed in BOP facilities, the contractor is responsible for the medical care and the costs associated with providing those services.
The BOP has 14,610 inmates in Privately-Managed Facilities. There are 101 inmates who have open lab-confirmed positive cases. 310 inmates have recovered. Full breakdown and additional details are below:
Facility IP ID IR City State
D. Ray James CI 73 0 12 Folkston GA
Great Plains CI 12 1 85 Hinton OK
Giles W. Dalby CI 10 1 72 Post TX
Rivers CI 4 0 20 Winton NC
McRae CI 2 1 14 Mcrae Helena GA
North Lake CI 0 2 107 Baldwin MI
All inmates are being appropriately treated and isolated per CDC guidelines.
COVID-19 AND BOP
June 28, 2020 UncategorizedAlex Berenson, B.O.P. Director, BOP, bop.gov, coronavirus, COVID-19, COVID-19 The Pandemic that Never Should Have Happened and How to Stop the Next One, Debora MacKenzie, Dekalb County, Georgia Department of Public Health, United States Federal Bureau of Prisons, Unreported Truths about COVID-19 and Lockdowns Part I Introduction and Death Counts and Estimateswaynetdowdy
Photo by Edward Jenner on Pexels.com
The United States Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) reported having a new deputy director on June 5, 2020. Though not said, I suspect the former deputy director exited due to his mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic in the federal prison system. After the BOP Director testified before Congress on June 2, 2020, the appointment of the new Deputy Director was reported three days later. Read the BOP Director's written statement before Congress here.
To show the severity of COVID-19's effect inside the BOP, I showed a comparison between COVID-19 cases in Henry County, Georgia, and the BOP.
On June 28, 2020, the website for the Georgia Department of Public Health reported the top five counties in Georgia for COVID-19 cases as follows. (See the latest update by clicking the link below the chart.)
County Confirmed Cases Hospitalizations Deaths
Gwinnett 7685 985 169
Fulton 6610 1058 311
DeKalb 5448 870 171
Cobb 4607 848 240
Non-Georgia Resident 4410 202 43
https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-19-daily-status-report
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Dekalb County, Georgia had 759,297 residents on July 1, 2019.
Dekalb County, with over 550,000 more people than the UNITED STATES FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS, staff included, has had 171 deaths due to COVID-19.
On June 28, 2020, 89 inmates and one reported BOP staff member had died due to COVID-19.
"06/28/2020 – The BOP has 131,667 federal inmates in BOP-managed institutions and 13,436 in community-based facilities. The BOP staff complement is approximately 36,000. There are 1,422 federal inmates and 137 BOP staff who have confirmed positive test results for COVID-19 nationwide. Currently, 5,114 inmates and 574 staff have recovered. There have been 89 federal inmate deaths and 1 BOP staff member death attributed to COVID-19 disease." WWW.BOP.GOV
Hopefully, the incoming BOP Director will be proactive about halting the spread of the Coronavirus inside the system. Several inmates have reported to me about the BOP's continued practice of putting inmates who tested positive for COVID-19 in the same living areas with those who were not infected. This is especially true at the complex in Butner, NC that has had a combined total of twenty-three inmate deaths and the one staff death.
Click here for books related to COVID-19
Unreported Truths about COVID-19 and Lockdowns: Part 1: Introduction and Death Counts and Estimates by Alex Berenson (Author)
COVID-19: The Pandemic that Never Should Have Happened and How to Stop the Next One by Debora MacKenzie (Author)
B.O.P. Censorship
April 24, 2020 Current Affairs, UncategorizedB.O.P., Cassidy McDonald, CBS News, coronavirus, COVID-19, United States Federal Bureau of Prisons, wonderfulthingsdone.com, wonderfulthingsdone.netwaynetdowdy
A 39-year old young lady who worked for the United States Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), died due to contracting the Coronavirus; however, to date, the BOP still does not acknowledge her death as an employee, as is shown in the following quotation taken from the BOP website on April 23, 2020:
The BOP has 143,136 federal inmates in BOP-managed institutions and 10,331 in community-based facilities. The BOP staff complement is approximately 36,000. As of 04/23/2020, there are 620 federal inmates and 357 BOP staff who have confirmed positive test results for COVID-19 nationwide. Currently, 302 inmates and 53 staff have recovered. There have been 24 federal inmate deaths and 0 BOP staff member deaths attributed to COVID-19 disease.
https://www.bop.gov/coronavirus/index.jsp
Those numbers are updated each day; however, since Ms. Robin Grubbs died earlier this month, who was a case manager at the United States Federal Penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia, died from COVID-19, the BOP website continues to not report her death on their website.
WONDERFULTHINGSDONE
Clients of WonderfulThingsDone and StraightFromthePen.com include incarcerated individuals who receive periodic updates to help them understand why the BOP elected to keep them locked down or otherwise managed under tighter security protocols than normal.
The message posted below was rejected by at least one institution; however, several other institutions do have competent staff who are capable of comprehending legal requirements and have complied with the law and chose not to violate the First Amendment to the United States Constitution that guarantees the Freedom of the Press.
At least two inmates were denied their right to read publicly available information about the world in which they live, which I conclude because I received two of the notifications shown below that will conclude this blog post.
From: admin@inmatemessage.com
Date: 4/21/2020 7:51:14 AM
Subject: Return To Sender: BOP Silenced Death of BOP Employee
This message informs you that your below electronic message to the above-named Federal prisoner is REJECTED and will not be delivered for the following reason(s): * The content of your message jeopardizes the safety, security, or orderly operation of the correctional facility, or the protection of the public.The prisoner to whom you sent this message is NOT being informed of this rejection.You may appeal this rejection within 15 days of the date of this message by submitting a written request to the warden of the prison where the prisoner is located. You should include a copy of this rejection, an explanation of your appeal request, and any additional documents or information you wish to be considered. See Below for Spanish/Ver abajo para leer en espa?ol
Este mensaje le informa que su mensaje electr?nico al preso federal susodicho FUE RECHAZADO y no ser? entregado por la siguiente raz?n(es):* El contenido de su mensaje compromete la seguridad, o la operaci?n ordenada de la facilidad correccional, o de la protecci?n del p?blico.El preso a quien usted envi? este mensaje NO ser? informado de este mensaje rechazado.Usted puede apelar este rechazo dentro del plazo de 15 d?as de la fecha de este mensaje enviando una petici?n por escrito al guardia de la prisi?n donde se localiza el preso. Usted debe incluir una copia de este rechazo, una explicaci?n de su apelacion, y de documentos o informaci?n adicionales que usted desee ser considerada.
Date: 4/20/2020 9:17:35 PM
From: info@straightfromthepen.com
To: 98612004@inmatemessage.com
Subject: BOP Silenced Death of BOP Employee
The United States Federal Bureau of Prisons does not report the death of this beautiful young lady who died working for them. Robin Grubbs was a case manager but the following BOP Report and all of those issued since Ms. Grubbs death from Coronavirus, do not mention or list her as a staff member who died from the Coronavirus.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-death-robin-grubbs-atlanta-federal-penitentiary-workers-criticize-covid-19-response/
"She was promoted a month before her death. Coworkers say she was never moved into her new role, away from sick inmates
"By Cassidy McDonald
April 20, 2020 / 6:17 PM / CBS News
"After a 39-year-old federal prison employee died and later tested positive for the new coronavirus, employees are speaking up about what they said are unsafe conditions at the facility where she worked.
"The Bureau of Prisons on Friday confirmed its first staff death potentially due to COVID-19. Robin Grubbs, a caseworker at the United States Penitentiary in Atlanta, was found dead in her home Tuesday and posthumously tested positive for the virus,
a BOP spokesperson said.
"CBS News spoke with four correctional officers at USP Atlanta who complained of insufficient access to protective equipment and inconsistent communication about how many staff and inmates were infected at any given time.
"'Already, it's a stressful job. Already, you don't ever know what you're walking into, but to add this on, this pandemic, where it could jump on you and just take your life away like that, it's mind-boggling. It's terrifying," said one correctional officer who was a close friend of Grubbs.
"Grubbs's office, employees said, was located in the "Baker 3" unit, a previously empty area where the facility had begun to house inmates who were sick or exposed to the coronavirus. One friend said Grubbs had talked about not being provided with equipment to stay safe and that she was trying to get out of the unit.
"Grubbs was most recently a case manager and employees remembered her as a hard worker who just last month had scored a promotion to a job helping released inmates transition back into society. The position would have landed her an office in a different building. As the illness spread, she told friends she repeatedly asked to assume her new position and move to her new office but was never able to start her new job.
"Taneka Miller, Grubbs's colleague and executive secretary of the union representing USP Atlanta employees, said she spoke to Grubbs last week. "She was like, 'Girl. Oh my God, they won't let me go for whatever reason. I'm so ready to go. I'm so ready to go," Miller said.
"Jacquetta Rosemond, union treasurer and paint worker supervisor at USP Atlanta, was surprised that Grubbs hadn't moved to a different floor. As a case manager for the Baker unit, Grubbs would have been assigned to work with inmates on the first two floors of the building, but not with the sick and isolated inmates in Baker 3, Rosemond said.
"'She didn't even get to go to her new job," Rosemond said. "There was really no reason for her to stay on that unit Those particular inmates in that unit were not on her caseload."
"'Everything was on backorder"
"A former colleague said that when the illness first hit the federal prison system, Grubbs tried to purchase her own mask. "All she kept telling me was that she didn't want to catch the COVID-19. So she personally bought some masks, but, you know, everything was on backorder," the colleague said.
"Miller said even surgical masks weren't readily available until last week when the prison began providing them weekly to each staff member. Three employees who ran into Grubbs in other units in the facility the week before she died said they saw her wearing either no mask or a surgical mask, and none said they had seen her with an N-95 mask.
"Employees said that each USP Atlanta staff member would have had access to at least one N-95 mask starting around the end of March, but they needed to be fit-tested first. But Rosemond and Miller said that some officers weren't tested until April, while others were unwilling to reuse their single N-95 mask day after day..
"When asked about the availability of masks, claims of inconsistent communication and when Grubbs was scheduled to assume her new role, a Bureau of Prisons spokesperson on Sunday sent the following statement: "We can acknowledge the death of an employee at USP Atlanta, however, there is no information or evidence relating to a cause of death." The agency declined to comment on the specific concerns raised by staff.
"Rosemond and Miller told CBS News in March that Atlanta employees many of whom are charged with patting down hundreds of inmates per day could not reliably access gloves. Some staff members would purchase and wear their own gloves, Miller said, but many didn't own their own gloves and would use bare hands to pat-search inmates.
"Rosemond and Miller said management distributed more PPE this month, but access remains inconsistent and many staff wished it had come sooner.
"For weeks, Atlanta employees have told CBS News they wished management would notify them more frequently about the number of staff and inmate cases at the facility.
"'The communication is horrible. It's late, it's last minute, and it's not full information," Miller said. "It's like they're sitting on the information."
"Miller said 13 days after she was allegedly exposed to the virus on the job, a member of the medical staff contacted her and informed her that she'd been exposed. Because the incubation period was only 14 days and she hadn't experienced any symptoms, the staff member told her that she should come back to work for her next shift.
"'I was highly pissed off," Miller said. "I come home to a 2-year-old every day who does not have the best immune system."
"After the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Medical Examiner's Office informed BOP that Grubbs had posthumously tested positive for COVID-19, Woods sent a memo Friday to notify staff.
"A BOP spokesperson said that Grubbs's official cause of death has not yet been determined, as her autopsy is not yet complete.
"Prior to last week, three staff members told CBS News they were only officially informed of one inmate and two staff cases of COVID-19 at the Atlanta prison. On Thursday, Woods said in an email to staff that the facility had "six staff and 12 inmate positive cases for COVID-19." On Friday, the BOP publicly reported three staff and eight inmate positive cases.
"Atlanta employees said they were confused by the discrepancy. Other than those two emails, Rosemond said, "everything else was word of mouth."
"'I don't feel safe," another correctional officer said. "We're not being informed of how the numbers have changed."
"When asked about the discrepancy, a BOP spokesperson said, "The positive test numbers are based on the most recently available confirmed lab results involving open cases from across the agency as reported by the BOP's Office of Occupational Health and Safety. BOP field sites may report additional updates throughout the day. Data on the dashboard is subject to change based on additional reporting by field sites."
"As of Sunday, the Bureau of Prison said 495 federal inmates and 309 staffers have tested positive for COVID-19 nationwide. A total of 155 inmates and 29 staff have recovered from the disease, while 21 inmates have died. Since Attorney General William Barr encouraged the use of home detention on March 21, a total of 1,280 inmates have been sent to home confinement.
"Rosemond said that as a case manager, Grubbs was at level 11 in the federal service pay scale, which would have put her annual salary somewhere between $67,437 and $87,667.
"Earlier this month, the union that represents prison staff, as well as 700,000 other federal employees, filed a class-action lawsuit against the BOP and other agencies for Hazard Pay, which would increase their hourly wage by up to 25%. The BOP declined to comment on the lawsuit.
"The lawsuit alleges a pattern of employee exposure to COVID-19 due to lax safety standards. The complaint highlights the case of one BOP employee at FCI Oakdale who was given only gloves to wear as personal protective equipment while escorting an inmate to a nearby hospital. The employee later learned the inmate was sick with COVID-19.
"Grubb's final days
"Grubbs's colleagues described her as someone who savored life. She was a passionate Atlanta Falcons fan and loved trying new restaurants, a work friend said, especially if seafood was involved. She traveled often and was constantly looking forward to her next trip, according to the friend, who said they'd recently fantasized about taking a trip to Belize this fall after the pandemic calmed down.
"Grubbs was an Army veteran and leaves behind her brother, parents, two grandmothers, and her beloved Yorkie named Louie.
"On April 10, she posted a video of her parents after they had dropped off a "Corona Care Package" filled with cough medicine, ginger ale and hand sanitizer. She wrote, "Airhugs because Corona is everywhere at this point… How did I get so lucky?'"
Happy Easter in 2020
April 12, 2020 Special Days, Spirituality, UncategorizedChristianity, coronavirus, Easter, Forgiveness, Freedom, Jesus Christ, Pope Francis, resentmentwaynetdowdy
(This blog post has a religious tone, so if that is something anyone finds offensive, then perhaps its best to find another blog to read. Check the different categories to find something of interest. Thanks! )
Easter of 2020 will be remembered for all the wrong reasons, with thousands of people prohibited from assembling in crowds larger than ten people: some will rebel and meet anyways in the name of the Lord.
In 2019 I wrote the blog I will conclude with: a Special Break from the Status Quo. Thousands have died from Coronavirus-related illnesses and the numbers will continue to rise for an unspecified time.
Many countries and states have ordered citizens to stay at home, to practice social distancing, wear face masks, and to take other safety precautions to stop the spread of the Coronavirus.
Hundreds of thousands of families and church members will not assemble on April 12, 2020, to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ or get to go spend time with friends, family, and loved ones.
Thousands of people across the globe are mourning the deaths of loved ones. The Coronavirus has infected almost 500,000 in the United States and killed over 18,500 people.
Some churches will use social media and the Internet to get the word out that Christ has risen from the dead. Other church members will not allow fear to stop them from filling the churches to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The United States Department of Justice warned law enforcement about trying to stop religious gatherings.
Religious gatherings are exempt from the Stay at Home orders.
The United States Constitution guarantees the separation of church and state.
Pope Francis urged people not to yield to fear over coronavirus.
Fear will trump the faith of millions of believers on Easter of 2020.
Each person must do what he or she feels needs to be done to protect life and liberty, including the life and liberty of others entrusted to their care.
Coronavirus Kills! Faith Heals!
And now for a personal message:
A Special Break from the Status Quo
Happy Easter to those who believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Each of us, believers and unbelievers of the miracle of the resurrection, may use this special day in the Christian faith to pray to a power greater than ourselves and to ask for the spirit of forgiveness; to forgive someone who may have offended or harmed us.
Resentment, a poison to the soul; freedom from resentment opens the door for a better life.
Whether you believe in a power greater than yourself or not, let the day be special by being grateful for the life you have, perfect or not. Know that you are loved for being who you are, regardless of whether you believe or do not believe in a power greater than yourself.
The love is free that flows from a special place in our hearts where the spirit lives. My hope is that each you get to experience the pleasure of love today and every day. Wayne
Coronavirus Updates and WTD4U for Prisoners
April 3, 2020 Current Affairs, UncategorizedB.O.P., CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, coronavirus, COVID-19, United States Federal Bureau of Prisons, Wayne T. Dowdy, Wonderfulthingsdone, WTD4Uwaynetdowdy
WonderfulThingsDone, doing business as WTD4U, provides limited services to predominantly federal prisoners, those held within the walls, bars, and fences of the United States Federal Bureau of Prisons. One service includes sending periodic blog posts to keep the incarcerated informed about events and activities or topics of concern to the inmate population, such as prison or criminal justice reform.
On April 2, 2020, I sent the following information to many prisoners through Corrlinks.com, a service federal prisoners pay to use for sending and receiving emails:
Coronavirus numbers on the inside and outside continue to grow.
"I hope that each of you is staying safe and sane in the ever-changing situation going on with the Coronavirus pandemic. It's tough being locked down and feeling helpless over so many aspects of life on the inside and life outside of the prison walls. But we, as humans, will survive and get past this, one day at a time.
"Staff and inmates alike have a significant issue to deal with as the virus continues to spread inside the walls of the United States Federal Bureau of Prisons, as well as for those of us in the free society. And even though it may be tough to deal with the conditions of a lockdown, especially if having to eat sack lunches and having limited access to showers, cleaning supplies, telephones, Trulincs/Corrlinks, and recreational activities, I feel most will agree that the lockdown is necessary to minimize the damage caused by this virus ravaging the population of the world at large.
"Here are the numbers listed today (April 2, 2020) for the B.O.P. The numbers increased from 57-inmates yesterday to 75 today, and from 37-staff yesterday to 39 today. https://www.bop.gov/coronavirus/index.jsp
COVID-19 Tested Positive Cases
Inmates: 75
"(Inmate) 4/02/2020 – USP Atlanta (5); FMC Butner (10); USP Canaan; FCI Danbury (15); FCI Elkton (2); FCC Forrest City (2); FCC Lompoc (12); MCC New York (4); FCC Oakdale (12); FCI Otisville; FCC Yazoo City (4); RRC Brooklyn, NY (4); RRC Janesville, WI; RRC Phoenix, AZ; FLM Guam
"(Staff) 4/02/2020 – Atlanta, GA (3); Brooklyn, NY (4); Butner, NC; Chicago, IL (3); Danbury, CT (4); Leavenworth, KS (no inmate contact); Lompoc, CA; Milan, MI; New York, NY (5); Oakdale, LA (4); Otisville, NY; Ray Brook, NY (2); Talladega, AL (2); Tucson, AZ; Yazoo, MS (3); Central Office, Washington, DC; Grand Prairie, TX; Southeast Regional Office, Atlanta, GA
"Here are some numbers that show the magnitude of the worldwide effect. The April 2, 2020, updated report issued at 2:35 pm EST, on the spread of the Coronavirus is as follows:
"Total Confirmed Cases: 981,221
"Active cases: 726,386
"Fatal cases: 50,230
"Sample of Select Countries Affected: United States: 235,787; Italy: 115,242; Spain: 110,238; Germany: 84,264; China (mainland): 81,589; France: 56,989; Iran: 50,468; United Kingdom: 33,718; Switzerland: 18,267; Turkey: 18,135; Belgium: 15,348; Netherlands: 14,697; Canada: 11,060; Austria: 10,967; South Korea: 9,976; Portugal: 9,034; Brazil: 7,011; Israel: 6,211; Sweden: 5,568; Australia: 5,136.
"(Numbers from COVID-19 Tracker ( https://www.bing.com/covid ))
"Every day I watch the data grow on reported cases of the Coronavirus, especially in the State of Georgia and local counties therein. The good thing is that most people who contract the coronavirus will survive and live to fight another day, but that doesn't negate the seriousness of this social problem affecting almost everyone in some way. Each one of us can only control our impact and contribution towards the resolution of the pandemic by doing what we can to minimize the spread of the virus, where possible.
"In the prison setting where needed supplies are limited or prohibited, and disinformation runs rampant about what's being done to stop the spread of the Coronavirus, each person can only do what is within their control:
"1) Limit close contact with others where possible (impossible when locked in a cell with another person who may not have sanitary habits).
"2) If you cough, cough inside your elbow rather than your hand, since coughing in your hand and touching objects spreads germs.
"3) Take precautions by wash hands frequently, and especially before touching the eyes, nose, or mouth, after having touched a surface or other person.
"4) And what works for me, take additional vitamin C to help the immune system stay strong, and for throat irritation from a cold or allergy or other illness, use a Lemon Squeeze to add one teaspoon of lemon juice into one cup of water as warm as you can stand it to gargle with, two-three times per day.
"5) do regular deep-breathing exercises to increase the oxygen level inside the body (viruses and diseases thrive in low oxygenated environments, including our bodies).
"(If interested in breathing exercises that help reduce stress and improves our health, according to Dr. Andrew Weil, MD, send email to info@wtd4u.com to request more info.)
"I hope some of the above information provides something you can use to stay safe and to help live with better health. Let me know if you wish to be excluded from this type of email."
COVID-19 CONTINUES ITS RAMPAGE ACROSS AMERICA
Within a matter of hours after posting the numbers from the COVID-19 TRACKER, by 2:25 am, Eastern Standard Time, the number of those infected topped one million, 245,175 cases in the United States.
Globally, a total of 53,069 known people have died from COVID-19 since health official began tracking the current rampage.
When the United States Bureau of Prisons updates their website at 3:00 pm today (April 3, 2020), I expect those numbers to have also grown.
Statistics cannot show all who have been infected with or died from the Coronavirus, because there is not a way for anyone to know about the devastating effects of a virus that may lay inside a person's body, undiscovered, infecting those who come near enough to inhale droplets from a cough or sneeze, or who touch an item or surface where the germs cannot be seen with the naked eye.
To help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to learn more about what may be done to protect yourself from contracting this deadly virus, follow the recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which you may find at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html
Coronavirus Fear Inside Prisons
March 16, 2020 UncategorizedBOP, bop.gov, CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, coronavirus, COVID-19, Inmate Visitation, United States Federal Bureau of Prisonswaynetdowdy
Photo by Felipe Vallin on Pexels.com
Information concerning the coronavirus fills the media all throughout the day and night so I won't waste words explaining what it is or what it does. To learn more about the coronavirus (COVID-19) and what you can do to prevent contracting it, please visit the website for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which contains volumes of information on COVID-19 and its status in America and abroad. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html
Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Prisons
Many Prison administrators across America have taken action to avoid the spread of the coronavirus inside the prisons, and for good reason: it kills and most prison systems do not have the best medical care available. The effect of the virus in such a closed environment would be devastating to staff and inmates (prisoners).
Though I did not at first find any message posted on the national website (www.bop.gov), I discovered what I knew by clicking on the links for various institutions spread across America: the United States Federal Bureau of Prisons suspended visitation privileges for its inmate population. (The link to the federal bureau of prisons contains the plan for dealing with COVID-19.) https://www.bop.gov/resources/news/20200313_covid-19.jsp
Other sources reported that the administration is taking other precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus inside the prison system, such as restricting the access of other individuals into the living units and theoretically, checking staff members for symptoms of the virus who come into the prisons.
Some prisons are on Lockdown Status, which means that prisoners are confined to their cells or immediate living areas. One institution is feeding its inmates cellblock-by-cellblock, and then supposedly sanitizing the food service area before allowing another cellblock to enter, in an attempt to prevent the spread of COVID-19. If a prisoner in one cellblock has the virus, then the virus cannot spread to another living area via the dining hall; however, that is only if the dining areas are actually being sanitized and no worker carries the virus.
Prisons often have policies and procedures on paper that are not adhered to in practice.
All prisons do not have cellblocks and use dormitory-types of living quarters to house its prisoners and that would make controlling an outbreak of COVID-19 more troublesome.
The above ends this blog post in relation to prison, per se. The following comes from my experience and strictly based on my unprofessional opinion.
I walked through the grocery aisles of a Walmart in McDonough, Georgia on March 14, 2020, and was surprised to see so many shelves emptied, even though I had viewed another person's post on FaceBook that showed the same in another grocery department. Panic in America, I thought.
Not that the Coronavirus isn't serious and the threat of contracting the virus should be ignored: It is real and kills people. Everyone should take precautions to avoid contracting it, if at all possible.
After corresponding with a friend about going out into society in light of the coronavirus-threat, I mentioned a home remedy I knew worked to help eradicate viruses from the throat. Then I decided to do a post on Facebook to share the information with others with the hope of it helping someone to avoid coming down with the coronavirus or other respiratory illnesses.
This roots from that Facebook post and also contains religious beliefs/views. If you find that offensive, please don't read any further. Thanks for reading my writings.
(This is not intended to be taken as medical advice: I am not a doctor or health professional. I am an opinionated writer and blogger.)
Based upon all I've read on the coronavirus, it is my opinion and nothing more, that I don't believe everyone should hide in a cave and hope the threat goes away. Use common sense.
I do take the same precautionary measures as I do to avoid or minimize the effects of the flu, common cold, or any other health issue due to the spread of germs (wash my hands after contact with surfaces or possible contaminants before touching my nose, eyes or mouth with unclean hands; take extra vitamin C to keep my immune system strong).
Of most importance, at the first sign of a sore throat, since the coronavirus supposedly starts in our sinuses or mouths to migrate into the lungs through our throats, then I'd do what I KNOW kills any virus in the throat by creating an environment too hostile for the bugs to survive due to acidity:
Gargle with one teaspoonful of lemon juice in a cup of water as hot as you can stand it, two to three times per day to kill the virus before it multiplies and migrates into the lungs.
I learned about that home remedy from a Reader's Digest book on Home Remedies that Work, and doing as suggested has proven effective EVERY TIME I used it at the onset of throat irritation. The same is true for many others who used that remedy after I shared it with them.
For me on a personal level, I believe that if it is meant for me to contract an illness or to experience an accident or misfortune, then that is in the will of my higher power, whom I chose to call God, and that it will happen regardless of what I do or do not do.
If something like that is not in His will, no need for me to worry. I KNOW and faithfully believe that God has my back and has for a whole lot of years. If not, I'd have died decades ago: I survived many incidents without serious damage that science would claim to be impossible.
For those who read or have read the Bible, doesn't is say that with God all things are possible? I also think it says something along the lines of a believer not being harmed if bitten by a poisonous snake.
I was the snake bitten by itself but I am here to tell about it.
Anyways, it is wise to use precaution and to avoid high-risk situations. Just don't worry yourself sick. This too shall pass!