Modesto Gospel Mission reports COVID-19 outbreak among homeless, with 9 cases
The Modesto Gospel Mission is reporting nine confirmed cases of COVID-19 among the homeless men it serves, and there could be more as it awaits the results of tests of an additional 132 homeless men and staff members who work with them.
This comes as Stanislaus County has seen a surge in COVID-19, which is the disease caused by the new coronavirus, after the state gave it a variance May 20 to reopen more of the local economy, including shopping centers and allowing people to dine inside restaurants, because it had demonstrated it had slowed the spread of the virus and had the ability to respond to it.
But Stanislaus now is among the 15 counties the California Department of Public Health has put on a watch list because of the virus’s resurgence, and the state could rescind the variance. That would result in closing the businesses that opened under the variance.
Stanislaus County Health Officer, Dr. Julie Vaishampayan, issued a statement Friday saying that could be avoided if residents wore face coverings in public and practiced social distancing by staying at least six feet from people who are not part of their households.
She also wrote that in violation of the state’s public health order, “there are increased reports of home gatherings, birthday parties, graduation parties, shared celebrations and shared sorrows. Many times these are happening without taking the necessary precautions to decrease chances for this virus to spread.”
Vaishampayan said the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 40 percent of the virus’ spread occurs before someone develops symptoms. “Since no one can predict future illness, wearing a face covering is necessary to protect those around you and decrease spread,” she wrote.
Stanislaus County Office of Emergency Services spokesman Raj Singh said he believes the Gospel Mission is the first outbreak of COVID-19 among homeless people in the county. Singh said that includes homeless people in emergency shelters and those living outdoors.
For instance, The Salvation Army told The Bee on Friday that one employee at its Berberian Center homeless shelter in Modesto has tested positive for COVID-19 after coming into contact with a family member who was positive, and the Turlock Gospel Mission reported no positive cases.
Singh said the county did extensive outreach among homeless people about how to stay safe during the pandemic. And homeless shelters have reported using social distancing, increased cleaning and sanitizing, and taking other precautions.
Homeless men placed in isolation
The county has placed the nine homeless men with COVID-19 in isolation.
Singh said some have been placed at the Modesto Motel and some in two other motels. The county is leasing the Modesto Motel to provide shelter for people 65 and older, those with underlying health conditions and those with symptoms or with COVID-19 during the pandemic.
Singh said there were 92 people at the Modesto Motel as of Friday. He said the majority were homeless. He said the county also is renting rooms as needed from the two other motels during the pandemic.
Gospel Mission Executive Director Jason Conway said the mission learned June 20 about its first COVID-19 case and had nine cases by Thursday. He said Tuesday the county coordinated testing for 132 homeless men in the mission’s emergency shelter and new life program, which is an 18-month residential program, and staff members who work with them.
Singh said as of about 2 p.m. Friday the test results were not back but added the county would not confirm whether there were additional cases at the Gospel Mission once results were available. He said it would be up to the mission to disclose that.
Shelters about 160 men, women and children
Homeless men and women (including some with children) are housed in separate buildings at the Gospel Mission, and female staff work with the women while male staff work with the men. Singh said that was among the reasons why only the men were tested, but he said the county will have the women and children tested if that becomes necessary, such as if they start showing symptoms.
The mission has reduced the number of homeless people it serves by 25 percent so it can provide social distancing. Conway said the mission is providing shelter to about 160 men, women and women with children in its shelters and residential programs.
The Gospel Mission posted a statement on Facebook saying it is working closely with county public health to take the appropriate actions. That includes having the men now in its emergency shelter stay there and self isolate, not allow new men into the shelter, restricting access to the main building, and not serving meals in its dining room to the public. But the mission is offering take-out meals.
The mission added it will continue testing for COVID-19 each week until county health says it is safe to stop the testing.
The mission said in its statement that it had been “blessed to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic these last 3 months with zero positive test results. The Mission has strictly followed all CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), state and local public health guidelines applicable to homeless shelters from the outset of the pandemic ... . Unfortunately, even with our proactive approach the reality of this pandemic’s spike in cases across the state has now hit our facility.”
This story was originally published June 27, 2020 at 5:59 AM.
