In a time of crisis, it truthfully shows how we all take care of our own.
In the midst of a disaster, panic often causes hysteria among a group of individuals. This said disaster is COVID-19, first originated in Wuhan, China and since then has exploded affecting the entire country. The majority of our country works, owns family owned business, comprised of a students trying to achieve an education, caretakers for those who are old and elderly, and of course, an abundance of toilet paper at our disposal. No one in their right mind would have thought a world-wide pandemic would occur at the start of a new decade. Fast forward to present day, the unemployment rate is up to 5.8 million, continuing to increase as the days continue.
As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases continues to grow at an alarming rate in Massachusetts, stay at home advisories have been put into place, a call for all non-essential businesses to shut their doors, and maintaining a 6-foot distancing. While nonessential businesses are closed, college students have been vacated home, airlines have been temporarily shut down, and face masks and gloves are thoroughly encouraged by the CDC. This leaves health care workers and first responders at the front of the line. Doctors, nurses, EMTs, firefighters, paramedics, police officers, and 911 operators are risking their lives, families, and own health to help those affected by COVID-19. However, citizens are urged to stay home, go out only when necessary, and avoid the elderly are able to do so. But for those experiencing homelessness and insecure housing, these safety precautions are not only out of reach, but they are not a viable option to combat COVID-19.
While COVID-19 is burdening everyone, those who are experiencing homelessness are paying a high price. Social Services and Non-Profit organizations are stretched thin, and many shelters have closed due to fear of spreading the disease. Where does that leave the homeless? Essentially, this means that those who do not have appropriate and viable housing are left in unsanitary conditions, potentially infectious others, and no way to combat the disease with no access to health care or sanitary supplies. On April 14th, I attended a virtual city council meeting in Worcester, where Mayor Joseph Petty had shared his same concerns. Forty-nine out of the one-hundred and fourteen residents at a Worcester Adult Emergency Homeless Shelter had tested positive for the coronavirus. In the meeting, Petty had highlighted that the majority of positive cases in the greater Worcester County has come from our homeless population.
Due to the spike in cases, Worcester County had taken quite the initiative to make those on the front of the line’s jobs any easier. City Manager Ed Augustus has announced that a field hospital will be established at the DCU Center that will be accepting homeless citizens. In addition, Worcester Technical High School, now up to capacity, is taking care of those impoverished, along with four other neighboring high schools. Lastly, Worcester Hospitals have agreed to admit homeless citizens who tested positive until new isolation spaces are ready.
Not only is the city providing housing for those who are homeless, but non-essential restaurants who do not have a drive-through are providing meals, water, toilet paper, and clean clothes. In addition, Worcester EMS has assisted with COVID-19 testing and is currently transporting infected homeless citizens to sheltered residents to temporary isolation– all free of charge. The National Guard is also staged at all COVID-19 pop up testing sights to help oversee traffic, bring in supplies, give out face masks and gloves to all, regardless of needing to be tested, and of course, provide a little bit of comedic relief in these trying times.
In the current pandemic, there is a lot of work that needs to be done to aid us all back to health and normalize life again. Luckily, no one is in this alone. Citizens all around the world are doing their part to ensure that we will persevere through these trying times one helping hand at a time. In times of need, our country stands tall on the fact that we are strong regardless of the current political climate, religious standpoints, and socioeconomic status’s.
Sydney,
I really enjoyed your insight about the homeless population during this pandemic. It seems as though they are often looked over and forgotten about when it comes to many things in our society. Because COVID is considered a global health crisis, ensuring the hygiene of the homeless population is essential to “flattening the curve”. As you stated, we are currently doing a pretty good job at assisting them during this time. Whether it is providing temporary housing or encouraging them to take preventative measures, we are clearly making an effort. But what happens when the pandemic is over? Do we then go ahead and dismiss them as a population again? What about cities across America that have adopted “anti-homeless” practices, such as spikes on benches to prevent them from sleeping there? Will COVID-19 change the way we treat the homeless? Or will they sadly continue to struggle on the streets?
Sydney, your piece uncovers and exposes a piece of society that many people often forget about and I really appreciate that you took the time to write this. Most of us are complaining about being at home, but what about the people who do not have a home to go to or any comfort at all? Insecure housing and homelessness is the worst circumstance for anyone to be in right now. Living at shelters and being outside only makes the homeless citizens more susceptible to the virus and other terrible conditions as well. Shelters are a hot spot location for corona virus to be spread since so many different people are coming in and out of the building, so it does make sense that they have shut down. But, where does this leave the people who need shelters in order to survive? I’m glad that Mayor Joseph Petty is thinking of the people dealing with these unfortunate situations and that the community of Worcester is contributing as well. It really is a great thing and I think that all other communities should be modeling this same type of behavior for all their residents, homeless or not, they are still human beings that deserve assistance and care. I think this help for the homeless should always continue whether we are living through a pandemic or not. This pandemic has opened our eyes to view certain individuals of varying socioeconomic statuses differently, creating a newfound appreciation for them and I think it’s amazing. At the same token it is saddening that the COVID outbreak had to be the fuel for this change to be seen and for this newfound respect as well.