Coronavirus Latest: Baltimore To Screen Shelter Residents For COVID-19, Opening Isolation Sites For Homeless Quarantining
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore city officials announced measures to protect the city's homeless population as the city saw it's 53rd positive coronavirus case Wednesday.
The Mayor's Office of Homeless Services said it would be screening residents for COVID-19 and would provide transportation for residents to get tested, should someone need it.
"The primary function of government is to protect the health and well-being of its residents, especially children, older adults and residents experiencing homelessness," said Mayor Bernard C. "Jack" Young. "We must protect our homeless neighbors and mitigate their risk of infection the same way we do the rest of the city's residents. In most cases, this means providing them access for testing and space to self-isolate, if needed. Our homeless neighbors are a part of this city and if we don't protect them we leave our city exposed to greater risk."
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The city is also opening isolation sites for city residents experiencing homelessness to self-isolate while awaiting tests results or recovering. Officials are also opening a "social distancing" shelter to temporarily house the homeless that live already at capacity at city shelters.
Also, should a person without shelter test positive there will be certain protocols followed when they are discharged from the hospital to prevent COVID-19 from spreading.
For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.