Michigan hospitals aren’t the only places strained by a lack of protective gear. Homeless shelters are also struggling to protect their staff and clients.
New Hope Community Center in Lansing is one of mid-Michigan’s largest homeless services providers.
Its staff is placing beds at safe distances and taking frequent temperature checks of its 70 clients.
Director Sharon Dade is trying to provide masks for her entire health care team and their patients, but they’re in short supply.
“Now, the unfortunate thing…like (with) the health care workers, is that we’re having to use them over again,” Dade says. “We don’t have new masks we can put on every day. I am literally issuing new masks once a week.”
Dade says the center still needs items like alcohol wipes and thermometers.
She’s also asking for volunteers for tasks like delivering food boxes.