Durkan, Constantine ‘de-intensifying’ homeless shelters to slow spread

The greater Seattle area has one of the largest homeless populations in the country, and many individuals lack access to shelters and basic hygiene. A local reporter asked King County leaders at a Monday press conference what is being done to address this vulnerable population, and to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.

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King County Executive Dow Constantine said they are in the process of de-intensifying shelters. This means that they are working to create more space in shelters to lower the risk of infection, and increase the hygiene opportunities for all unsheltered individuals.

Constantine pointed to this as a challenge that Seattle is facing, and that the entire county is facing.

“Our goal is that we will provide even those who are unhoused with the opportunity to be safely separated from others, to avoid infection either within the shelters or out in the community,” Constantine said.

He also assured that if anyone in the homeless community is infected, they will be offered the same opportunities for isolation as is provided to anyone else.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said that they’ve been working for the last two weeks to set up a shelter system with three things in mind.

First, getting people inside as quickly as possible. Then, making sure that people inside shelters have enough space to safely practice social distancing and help stop the spread of disease. And third, establishing a system of shelters and isolation, as well as quarantine units for unsheltered individuals.

“We do this for two reasons. One, because it’s the humane thing to do and the right thing to do for the people who are living outdoors,” Durkan said. “But also because we need to make sure that we protect our public health system, and if there were to be a significant outbreak within the homeless community, we know that that could have a huge impact on our hospital system.”

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Durkan said she has spoken with both Gov. Jay Inslee and Vice President Mike Pence regarding homeless assistance during this crisis, and believes we will need both state and federal resources to fully address the issue.

“It is one of the highest priorities for all the leaders in the state,” Durkan said.