Homelessness Network co-ordinator reflects on Sudbury shelter outbreaks

Covid-19 is taking hold in Subury's vulnerable homeless population.

Over the weekend, Public Health Sudbury and Districts expanded the outbreak originally declared at the Salvation Army Cedar Place shelter and the YMCA warming centre to include the Samaritan Centre Resource Program on Elgin Street and the Homelessness Network Day Centres on Larch Street.

A co-ordinator with the Homelessness Network in Greater Sudbury says people are scared. 

"Some people don't want to stay inside too long, other than the meal and getting a coffee," Raymond Landry said.

"So there is some concern out there. There is also still, unfortunately, a lot of misconception about the vaccine and their utility and how powerful a tool they can be in preventing disease."

Anyone who attended the Samaritan Centre, the YMCA, and the Homelessness Network Day Centre March 23 to March 27 must carefully self-monitor for symptoms and seek testing.

The health unit says three staff and six residents tested positive for COVID-19 at Salvation Army Cedar Place and YMCA Warming Centre.

Landry says service providers are not surprised an outbreak has finally happened.

"We feared an outbreak in the homeless population because we know of the negative consequences that could have on them," he said.

"We continue to be vigilant and concerned about the continuing spread and the widening spread among the population."

He says it was just a matter of time before it happened.

"It's the inevitability of the virus penetrating the population. The higher numbers generally in Sudbury are lending themselves to more infections and more exposure to this vulnerable population," Landry said.

"A lot of people cohabitate, couch surf, share spaces, whether they're renting in that space or not, with friends. And we thought it might be inevitable and it's come to that now."

Services are still being offered, despite the identified cases.

"We have health and safety protocols in place to help as much as we can to help people distance and and wear masks and provide disinfectants for hand sanitizer when they're inside," he said.

"We're meeting every day to try and manage these outbreaks and make sure we're clear on where outbreaks are happening, who it involves and how we can best serve them as a community and keeping them informed and protected."

And "there are great efforts" to offer the vaccine to the homeless population as much as possible, Landry noted.

A total of 72 persons were vaccinated two weeks ago. Landry says 800 doses of the vaccine have been set aside for this vulnerable population. Mobile clinics are being held this week to provide the vaccines.