NEW YORK — Social service providers, particularly those serving the homeless, said the city is sacrificing their health as the pandemic continues.
They described a lack of protective gear and limited properly social distance.
“We believe the city has made the decision that security on the front lines at the shelters are expendable by not giving them equipment,” said Gregory Floyd, whose union members provide security at many places across the city shelter system.
Floyd showed pictures of workers and clients inside the 30th Street Men’s Shelter having no ability to enforce social distancing, in addition to not providing proper protective equipment for workers.
“There’s no plan to cohesively deal with this crisis,” he said. “It’s business as usual with the exception of some getting sick.”
As of March 31, there were 121 confirmed cases in city shelters, with 68 shelters impacted and at least five clients dead. A spokesman for the city insists thorough deep cleaning is happening, along with best efforts to create social distancing and isolate potentially sick individuals who walk in the door.
“This is what I would very would very much call a work in progress,” said Chatherine Trapani, executive director of Homeless Services United, which represents many of the nonprofit shelters the city contracts with.
She said the city is making progress on identifying, distancing and getting help to those who seem sick; however, protective gear is the biggest problem right now.
The city admits getting personal protective equipment to hospitals has been the priority, but insists Dept. of Health guidelines are being followed in the shelters.
”Nonprofit employees are also on the front lines and in a way ‘first responders’ by ensuring the shelters are safe,” Trapani said.
