WASHINGTON — On the Q&A, we're all about answering your questions.
A lot of people have reached out to us asking what D.C.'s government is doing to protect people experiencing homelessness from getting COVID-19.
We reached out to Mayor Muriel Bowser's office for an answer.
As of this publication, D.C. has set up 17 handwashing stations around the city. Of those 17, Wards seven and eight only have three between them.
They gave us no indication of whether there would be more in the future.
In addition, the DC Department of Human Services gave us the following statement:
The safety, health, and well-being of the residents we serve is the District’s top priority; and therefore we have implemented several safety measures to help keep DC residents experiencing homelessness from getting sick including the installation of 17 handwashing stations throughout the city and 4 portable toilets with hand sanitizer.
The District has taken the following steps in adjusting operations in low barrier shelters to protect residents, to the extent possible, from illness:
- Shared guidance with all shelters (DHS funded and independently operated)
- Produced client-facing flyer
- Extended hours during the day and providing lunch to reduce the need for transportation and offsite day services;
- Implemented deep cleaning protocols;
- Bolstered sanitation and hygiene supplies and implementing an escalation process for unmet resource needs;
- Provided pre-packaged or boxed meals and requiring clients to take their food to go;
- Required that clients stay in the same bed in the same shelter to limit movement between facilities;
- Implemented screening procedures upon entrance to shelter and adapting those screenings as needed;
- Put steps in place so that clients presenting with symptoms and tested for COVID-19 are connected with remote isolation sites while they await test results;
- Supported providers for Continuity of Operations planning and preparing for protocol modifications as the situation on the ground changes.