Coronavirus in SA: Fears grow for vulnerable homeless people
THE HOMELESS at Dalton Beer Hall, off Sydney Road. A shelter for the homeless says the recommendations to avoid the coronavirus do not work for the homeless. Thomas Ferreira THE HOMELESS at Dalton Beer Hall, off Sydney Road. A shelter for the homeless says the recommendations to avoid the coronavirus do not work for the homeless. Thomas Ferreira
Durban - A DURBAN centre that caters for the
homeless fears that it will be difficult to
track the spread of the coronavirus and
contain it if the homeless community
gets infected.
The number of confirmed cases of the Covid-19 virus climbed to 202 on Friday, Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize announced.
At Denis Hurley Centre in the Durban city centre, the homeless come through for their daily meal and because of coronavirus concerns, they have been divided and are served in small groups.
The centre provides meals for the homeless daily and provides basic health care, among other services, to them.
Centre director Raymond Perrier said meal times were the least of their worries.
“The major problem is that, whether they come to the shelter or they don’t, they are the most vulnerable people to get infected by the virus.
“They are also more at risk of developing severe symptoms if they do get infected and are even more at risk of death if they get pneumonia. If the homeless do not get a healthy meal from the shelter, that means their immune system will be compromised and they can easily get infected,”
he said.
Perrier added that if the homeless were infected, the virus would spread easily and faster because they sleep in groups, get up and go their separate ways to meet other friends and try to make a living in different corners of the city.
“The recommendations to avoid the virus don’t work for the homeless - they can’t afford hand sanitiser, they don’t have good access to clean water, they are often malnourished, they live in cramped conditions in shelters and they have existing health conditions like HIV and TB.
“We are staying open to provide life-saving help: nutritious food and basic health care. It also means we can educate people who don’t have access to media or social media. And we will do so in a way that observes the rules on personal space and hygiene control,” he said.
A 35-year-old homeless man, who did not want to be named, said he collected waste for recycling.
“This coronavirus is very scary, especially for us on the streets. Some of us do read newspapers and we try to educate one another, but the reality we live in is making it impossible to say we will survive this virus.
“We eat leftovers, we collect change from strangers; that is how we survive. With my understanding of this virus, those are the exact things that will lead to the spread of the virus.
“If I find a leftover burger in the bin, and I haven’t eaten for three days, I will eat it with no fear because I will be hungry,” he said.
Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs provincial spokesperson Lennox Mabaso said the government had an “all-encompassing plan” that covers all sectors of society, including the homeless.
“Education and awareness efforts will be up-scaled to ensure that people from all sectors have access to preventative and protective aids and that they understand this disease, know how to prevent it, and what to do if they believe they’re exhibiting its symptoms. Our healthcare workers and door-to-door campaigns will ensure we reach everyone,” said Mabaso.