Hamilton shelters still planning how to quarantine possible COVID-19 cases

Hamilton's social service agencies say they're working out the details around what will happen if someone staying in their shelters has to isolate themselves because of COVID-19.

Agencies like Mission Services and Good Shepherd will meet with Hamilton public health officials on March 17 to discusshow to manage clients at risk of coronavirus. Both operate men's shelters where dozens of people sleep in dorm-like environments, some of them separated only by partitions.

"We'll be putting our heads together," said Valerie Sadler, associate executive director of Mission Services of Hamilton.

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Like many agencies, Mission Services has a pandemic plan, and used it during H1N1, she said. Right now, the pandemic threat is at its lowest level, which is green.

Tomorrow, Mission Services will discuss alternatives in case the level rises above that, including serving meals to smaller groups at a time.

Good Shepherd has five shelters with a combined residency of more than 200, and has similar questions.

"The ability to have appropriate social distance and contact is less possible in that part of the system," said spokesperson Alan Whittle. As for what happens if someone has to isolate, "that's what we're trying to figure out."

Wesley Urban Ministries is in planning mode too. "We're preparing internally, along with our partners, for many different eventualities and taking the lead from public health," said Andrea Buttars, manager of resource development.

There's a lot to consider. Hamilton shelters accommodate hundreds of people, from Mission Services's James Street North shelter to numerous women's shelters across the city.

There are even more residents who are housed, but can't afford to buy two weeks worth of food to prepare for self isolation, said Laura Cattari, a Hamilton anti-poverty advocate. This includes people on social assistance and workers with low wages and no paid vacation days.

If the food banks close,"it means starvation, unfortunately," she said. "There really is no other way."

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Cattari wants the province, together with the $1 billion Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced this week, to establish some sort of guaranteed income fund. It needs to be fast, she said, and easy to access.

"Getting people the assistance they need as quickly as possible is really important," she said. "We don't want to be bogged down in politics. We don't want to be bogged down in bureaucracy."

The Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction issued a statement on Tuesday calling on Ottawa to establish basicincome payments. It echoed the International Monetary Fund's call for "cash transfers, wage subsidies and tax relief" to help people meet their needs.

Food banks are open and well stocked, said Joanne Santucci, executive director of Hamilton Food Share. The agency, which provides food to a dozen food banks, will be at the city meeting next week too. Like the other agencies, it has a pandemic plan.

If public health orders businesses to close, she said, "we'll have to close." The safety of staff and volunteers is key, sne said, and"we certainly cannot take the place of the government."

Bart Harvey, Hamilton's associate medical officer of health, said Thursday that the city is considering people with lower incomes in its planning.

"We're taking into account what their circumstancesare, what their abilities are and then being able to provide whatever assistance is necessary so they can hold up for up to 14 days."