As NYC Subway Closures Force Unhoused People into Packed Shelters, Advocates Demand Permanent Homes

[Newest Reality]

By way of attrition we have another potential vector for contagion. There are tens of thousands of homeless people and sheltering at home is not an option. They may be exposed to, (and spread) COVID-19 more than other other sectors of our society and that presents challenges for fighting it.

Add to that the potential of more evictions, (which tend to lead to protracted or permanent homelessness) and we see where this is going due to neglect and trying to ignore the need and poverty that is becoming so prevalent. Society is interconnected in many ways and we need to address the shared causes and effects.

For the first time in its 115-year history, this month New York City began shutting down its subway system overnight. The unprecedented move has left unhoused people who rely on the trains for shelter suddenly with nowhere to go, and made them even more vulnerable as the coronavirus continues to spread. "The situation is concerning," says emergency physician Dr. Kelly Doran, who has joined advocates in calling on New York to do more to protect unhoused people from infection. We also speak with Josh Dean, executive director of the homeless advocacy group Human.NYC.