As the number of new coronavirus infections in Illinois continues to grow, Chicago has finally caught up with testing at some of the city’s homeless shelters. Results shared by the Chicago Department of Public Health at the end of last week showed that among 1,153 clients and staff tested at 14 shelters, 302 people were positive for COVID-19. However, as of May 7, the department couldn’t confirm if anyone has died from the disease.
Still, advocates are concerned that the city’s strategy for handling the virus outbreak in homeless shelters isn’t sufficient and has been too slow. The response is “not adequate,” said Julie Dworkin, policy director at the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. “I think there’s still a lot of holes, the biggest one being: what is the time frame for having testing in every shelter and moving out people who are vulnerable?” The city has not been able to provide one thus far.
