Officials with Bridge to Home reported Wednesday that over a dozen shelter residents had recently tested positive for COVID-19 in what they described as the shelter’s “first surge” in such cases.
On Wednesday, Bridge to Home reported that 17 of their “clients” had recently tested positive for COVID-19, with officials stating that “none of them are showing any symptoms of the virus.”
“From the beginning of the COVID pandemic, people who are experiencing homelessness have been identified as high-risk,” said Bridge to Home Executive Director Michael Foley in a statement Wednesday. “We have taken the recommended and necessary steps to keep our clients safe and healthy, and we are fortunate that we hadn’t had any positive cases until recently.”
As of Wednesday afternoon, officials with Bridge to Home were not immediately available to comment on the exact time frame of when these individuals tested positive.
The shelter’s intake services department is set to remain open, but officials say that individuals seeking shelter will be referred to other shelters during this period.
When a client at Bridge to Home tests positive, officials say that they are transferred to a separate COVID shelter in Pomona, and are only able to return to Bridge to Home once they recover and are no longer contagious.
“We will continue to keep our safety protocols in place and continue to provide the services and resources our most vulnerable neighbors so desperately need during this time,” Foley said.
See Related: Bridge To Home Announces Project To House 30 People Following The End Of Project Room Key
Meanwhile, residents at the temporary Bridge to Home shelter location at the Newhall Community Center are quarantining in order to prevent further spread of the virus.
“This surge across every corner of the County has been truly profound,” Foley said. “And while (we) have taken significant steps to keep the virus at bay, unfortunately as the number of cases have intensified, congregant support environments such as homeless shelters have been impacted despite our efforts.”
Towards the beginning of the pandemic, Bridge to Home temporarily relocated their shelter services to the Newhall Community Center in order to have the necessary space to provide for social distancing.
“Clients are required to be separated by six feet, in all directions, at all times,” Wednesday’s statement reads. “In addition, everyone is required to wear masks and temperatures are taken several times a day. When cases in the region began to increase as fall approached, Bridge to Home enhanced regular cleaning and disinfection and staff members were hired to solely focus on COVID prevention.”
With shelter residents at the Newhall Community Center temporarily under quarantine, Bridge to Home officials are asking the community to virtually volunteer their time to lead activities and learning opportunities through Zoom.
Those interested in helping are asked to email Volunteer Coordinator Randi Wyatt-Billings at Randi@bthome.org.
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