WATSONVILLE—Eight people at the Salvation Army Shelter in Watsonville tested positive for Covid-19 last week, forcing the site to temporarily close for cleaning Friday.
Santa Cruz County health officials were notified that a resident of the Salvation Army Shelter on Union Street tested positive for Covid-19 during preparation for an unrelated medical procedure, county spokesman Jason Hoppin said.
As a result, the Communicable Disease Unit immediately tested the 27 other residents and staff at the site and found five additional residents and two staffers who also tested positive. All individuals are asymptomatic and have been referred to the Homeless Persons Health Project for support and have been relocated to support isolation, Hoppin said.
Operations at the shelter are expected to resume following the 14-day isolation period and a thorough site cleaning.
Since March, the Human Services Shelter and Care Task Force has worked to minimize Covid-19 impacts to persons experiencing homelessness by providing shelter to more than 500 persons, and through dedicated outreach to give homeless persons information and support to protect themselves.
For information on Covid-19 response in the homeless community, visit www.homelessactionpartnership.org.
For local information on Covid-19, visit www.santacruzhealth.org/coronavirus, call 211 or text “COVID19” to 211211. Residents may also call 454-4242 from 8am-6pm, Monday through Friday.
