Emergency housing shelters throughout Monroe County are trying to adjust to strict rules implemented to slow the novel coronavirus.
The Oaks of Righteousness homeless shelter has taken to separating clients by gender -- females on the top floor and males downstairs. According to Heather Pittman, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order makes it hard for her and her husband to spend time together at Oaks Victory Village during the day.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not include places like Oaks of Righteousness in its group size recommendations, but they are not exempt from the governor’s order to stay indoors.
“I try not to think about it because it’s hard, it’s really hard,” Heather Pittman told The Monroe News. “It’s hard on everyone, but we are going to make it through this.”
Homeless shelters face a challenge when it comes to social distancing, or the practice of keeping people six feet apart from one another to prevent the spread of disease. A quick spread of an outbreak is likely, but Pastor Heather Boone, director of Oaks shelter, told the Monroe News, “We are still trying to be the church in this community and keep loving on people.”
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