How do the homeless handle the Covid-19 lockdown?

Sunday, 29 March 2020

Thousands of homeless people across New Zealand are struggling to find places to go as the country shuts down due to Coronavirus.

Organisations across the country are working to keep those who don't have a place to hunker down, safe.

In Hawke's Bay, manager of peer support trust, Whatever It Takes (WIT) Shirley Lammas said members were continuing with an outreach centre, providing take-away meals.

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'In the last few days we have seen many homeless go to ground as they are concerned not only about the virus but that the police could lock them up for being on the street,' Lammas said.

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'Their anxiety and fear is real too as they have approached medical centres for masks and shared these concerns with staff. One man made comment of one of our staff 'if I get sick will someone come look for me?''

Lammas said WIT was working with Ministry of Social Development and Housing First on finding accommodation solutions and other ways to support those who were homeless or rough sleepers.

'If you think these people take drugs and drink to numb the trauma and pain, this is now a whole new level of survival for them.

Policeman talk to homeless men in Napier CBD.

'Homeless have their own routine and this has been interrupted the same as everyone else, unfortunately they are far more vulnerable. They only have access to one toilet and cold water showers. They were washing their clothes at the Outreach but we have had to close this down.'

Lammas said they were looking for assistance with protective resources so they could help identify if someone is getting ill when they access the Outreach.'

Wellington's Compassion Soup Kitchen remains open, and will run seven days a week, rather than its normal six.

A homeless person sleeping rough in Bunny St, Wellington.

A spokesperson said takeaway meals will be served everyday, from 1.30-2.30pm.

Other organisations had provided rough sleepers in Wellington with cellphones and credit, in order to stay in touch with no face to face contact.

'The whānau have been encouraged to swap phone numbers so that they can stay in contact with each other during this difficult time.'

She said the service had two kitchen teams to reduce contact and staff were wearing personal protective equipment as well as keeping two metres apart.

The Soup Kitchen was also providing prepared meals for the Wellington Night Shelter which was reporting a higher than normal volume of people wanting meals.

'If you think these people take drugs and drink to numb the trauma and pain, this is now a whole new level of survival for them,' WIT manager Shirley Lammas said.

The Ministry of Social Development's housing manager, Karen Hocking, said they were working with other agencies to look after those who were sleeping rough.

Wellington City Missioner Murray Edridge said the homeless community was not threatened by Covid-19 until the confirmation of community spread.

'They were less vulnerable and weren't travelling and weren't coming into contact with any travellers, but the community spread has changed that,' he said.

'Most have compromised health and vulnerability, food supplies are insecure, not nutritious enough and there's more hygiene challenges.'

All public toilets and showers had closed, providing another challenge for the homeless to keep clean.

'If this goes on for four weeks or longer - what do we do?'

Wellington's Soup Kitchen is continuing to serve people thorughout the lockdown period.

Eldridge said the mission had been working to provide alternative accommodation and was working to reduce the number of people in night shelters.

Auckland City Missioner Chris Farrelly said there were about 800 people in the homeless community across the city.

'We're trying to get every single person indoors, we've been trying to get everyone into motel units during the past few days and that's happening at a speed. It's quite remarkable, this is through MSD and Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.'

But Farrelly said there were challenges that came with getting those in need off the streets.

'These are high-need individuals and our challenge at the moment is staffing to support and watch over that group and it's not just volunteers, it's clinical expertise in some cases. There's mental health issues, addiction issues and more, so it's a tough one.'

Farrelly said they were still providing meals for those who needed it, but were offering a daily food package which people could take-away.

'Alongside other agencies, we're currently working through the practicalities of how we can continue to help people in need of emergency accommodation.

'We currently work with around 400 emergency housing suppliers each day to support over 2600 households with their urgent housing needs.

'If someone is sleeping rough and reaches out to us at MSD, our normal emergency housing process is happening and we'll try to sort something for them.'