The recent winter storm in Portland has introduced new logistical complexity to
the already demanding job of homeless shelters. Many locations are lifting
restrictions to allow more people to escape from the potentially dangerous
weather conditions, but that makes the task of ensuring that the staff and
shelter population are observing safe COVID prevention practices even more of a
challenge. Some shelters are opting for an open air layout, such as one in a
Lloyd Center parking lot that doesn't require a clear COVID test to enter. But
others are testing at the door and turning away those who came up positive, a
practice that seems to deter many who are in need but don't want to risk their
tents or belongings being damaged by snow and ice while they take the time to
seek proper shelter. At the moment we are seeing one of the most difficult to
manage results of COVID; compounding crises. How can we simultaneously take
precautions against the Corona Virus during an acute emergency that requires
swift action? Proper testing and social distancing almost requires that a
certain amount of people will go unserved. It should be no surprise to anyone in
the Portland metro area that resources for the homeless are stretched thin under
normal circumstances, so the introduction of severe inclement weather conditions
makes an already precarious situation even more problematic. There are surely
countless other examples of the pandemic ultiplying the damage of natural
disasters, such as what happened recently in Texas. Situations just as these
really stress the importance of tackling the pandemic as quickly and effectively
as possible so that we may address other concerns with the adequate resources
they require.
https://www.wweek.com/news/2021/02/16/talking-to-portlands-most-vulnerable-residents-about-winter-shelters-including-a-man-with-a-blowtorch-who-didnt-want-to-go-to-one/
https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/spoiled-covid-vaccines-texas-winter-storm-power-outages-set-stage-n1258216
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