Charlotte homeless shelter will screen for coronavirus in attempt to stop the spread
Men who want to stay at Charlotte’s homeless shelters will now face health screenings for coronavirus symptoms, as concerns grow over the spread of the disease in Mecklenburg County.
The screenings are one of several steps being taken to prevent the spread of the virus among the homeless population. The Men’s Shelter of Charlotte said it was closing the winter housing program Room in the Inn two weeks early.
Room in the Inn is an emergency program that places homeless adults and families in churches and gyms for a night, so they don’t sleep outside in the cold.
Mecklenburg County has reported two cases this week of people testing presumptive positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, health officials said Thursday.
Liz Clasen-Kelly, CEO of the merged Urban Ministry and Men’s Shelter of Charlotte, said the COVID-19 “pandemic is adding extra stress to an already stretched homeless service system.”
The new health screenings will not test homeless people specifically for COVID-19 but will instead look for symptoms of the disease, she said.
“While we have no knowledge of any COVID-19 on our campuses, we have taken precautions and are beginning to roll out additional protections,” Clasen-Kelly said in a news release.
“People experiencing homelessness are particularly at risk due to the congregate nature of our facilities and common health vulnerabilities (like) hypertension, diabetes, asthma, COPD,” she added.
Room in the Inn will cease operations for the season Saturday morning, two weeks earlier than its March 31 planned closing.
Clasen-Kelly said the shelter programs are also working to change their meal service “to reduce crowding.”
Mecklenburg County Health Director Gibbie Harris said at a press conference Thursday officials were “pretty far along in our planning” with homelessness service providers but offered no details.
She said area leaders are discussing how to handle quarantine for “individuals who needed to be isolated and were not able to be isolated at home or did not have that as an option.”
In response to follow-up questions from The Observer asking if the county has issued guidance or financial help to shelters, county spokeswoman Rebecca Carter said county officials are talking to program providers about their needs.
She said emergency grant funds “can be utilized for response to this situation,” but did not say if any money had been disbursed or how much is available. Options for medical care for those who are uninsured are under discussion, she said.
N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper and state health officials said this week that large gatherings of 100 or more people should be canceled or postponed to reduce health risks.
Many of the city’s homeless are seniors, and the county has recommended that people over 65 avoid any type of large gathering, including church services, The Charlotte Observer reported Thursday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidance for homeless shelters, including recommendations to coordinate with local emergency response, and identify space where people with mild illnesses can be separated from others.
San Francisco — where there are more reported cases of the virus and a significant homeless population — will spend $5 million for cleaning and other services in its shelters, according to local news reports.
This work was made possible in part by grant funding from Report for America/GroundTruth Project and the Foundation For The Carolinas.
This story was originally published March 13, 2020 at 6:53 AM.