Orange County is wondering how to save the homeless from COVID-19

The County of Orange is exploring all precautionary and preventative measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 within the homeless population.

The County has identified short-term strategies that provide alternative placement for sheltered individuals who are elderly and/or those who have severe underlying health conditions. This includes about 80 recuperative care beds available for sheltered individuals considered high risk due to age or underlying health conditions.  Additionally, the County is deploying medical tents, cots, blankets, privacy dividers and handwashing stations to shelters, and seeks to make resources available as soon as possible.  The County will be issuing guidance to shelter providers countywide, which provides clarity and direction regarding recently issued State and Federal guidance.

The County is working with the State of California to vet State-identified resources, as well as evaluating motels and hotels that have expressed interest in assisting during this public health crisis.

At this time the Fullerton and Santa Ana Armories are scheduled to be operational through April 15; however, the County is in constant communication with the State regarding use of the Armories.

Individuals experiencing homelessness and/or homeless service providers are encouraged to call either OC Health Care Agency’s Health Referral Line at (800) 564-8448 or the County of Orange Public Information Hotline at (714) 628-7085 if they have any questions regarding COVID-19.

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For general information about COVID-19, please call the OC Health Care Agency’s (HCA) Health Referral Line at (800) 564-8448, visit http://www.ochealthinfo.com/novelcoronavirus, or follow the HCA on Facebook (@ochealthinfo) and Twitter (@ochealth).

For non-medical questions, contact the County of Orange Public Information Hotline at (714) 628-7085.