Homeless people in Las Vegas have been corralled into a disused parking lot and made to sleep less than six feet apart on the concrete aft...
Homeless people in Las Vegas have been corralled into a disused parking lot and made to sleep less than six feet apart on the concrete after a resident at their shelter caught coronavirus.
Last week a homeless man at the Catholic Charities' homeless shelter tested positive for Covid-19, forcing it to close and leaving 500 people without a place to sleep.
The City of Las Vegas provided the vacant parking lot of Cashman Center on Saturday night. They rolled out a thin layer of carpet for one section of the concrete, but another has been left bare.
Furthermore, in contravention of CDC guidelines on social distancing, the homeless are sleeping within painted boxes which do not keep them six feet apart.
It comes as the number of people infected by the deadly contagion in Nevada reached 920, with 15 deaths, with a total of more than 142,000 cases in the US and 2,509 deaths.
Las Vegas casinos have been shut down because of the outbreak and showbiz acts have cancelled appearances.
Last week a homeless man at the Catholic Charities' homeless shelter tested positive, forcing it to close and leaving 500 people without a place to sleep. Over the weekend they were moved to the vacant parking lot of the Cashman Center in Las Vegas
Some of the homeless people from in Las Vegas lie down on bare concrete in the open-air facility provided for them after their usual shelter was closed over coronavirus fears
In a statement on Saturday, Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones said, 'We're proud to be working in collaboration with the city to meet the needs of our homeless population and appreciate the quick response of the participants in standing up the facility so soon' (pictured: homeless people settle in for the evening on Sunday)
In a statement on Saturday, Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones said, 'We're proud to be working in collaboration with the city to meet the needs of our homeless population and appreciate the quick response of the participants in standing up the facility so soon.'
The fully open-air facility, which is open to the homeless from 6pm to 8am, is anticipated to remain until at least April 3 or however long it takes for the Catholic Charities shelter to re-open.
Touro University medical students and physician assistant students volunteered at the parking lot over the weekend as the city authorities set up the temporary facility.
County Commissioner Justin Jones told Fox: 'We're planning for seven days, but certainly that's really dependent on how quickly Catholic Charities gets reopened and how quickly the other facility is open.'
People start to arrive at a temporary homeless shelter set up in a parking lot at Cashman Center on Saturday, where a thin blue carpet was rolled out for them
People rest at a makeshift camp for the homeless Saturday. Officials opened part of a city parking lot as a makeshift homeless shelter after a local shelter closed when a man staying there tested positive for the coronavirus
Touro University Nevada medical student Miranda Stiewig takes a man's temperature as he arrives at a temporary homeless shelter set up in a parking lot at Cashman Center on Saturday
Touro University Nevada medical student Nikie Tong looks on as fellow student Claire Chen (R) takes a man's temperature as he arrives at a temporary homeless shelter set up in a parking lot at Cashman Center on Saturday
Mayor Carolyn Goodman told the Reno Gazette Journal: 'The city wants to make this site available because we know the obligation we have to help ease the overflow of the Homeless Courtyard.'
Freeman's Carpet Service, GES Exposition Services and the Teamsters were among those helping with provisions for the homeless.
'We've had Republic Services donating trash resources, Touro University med students will be over here doing screening, so we've really seen the community come together,' Jones told Fox.
'All the government agencies and other folks to make sure that we serve our homeless population.'
The entrance of the temporary facility which will be used until at least April 3, or until the Catholic Charities' shelter re-opens
Volunteers hand bottles of water and blankets to people arriving at the parking lot on Sunday evening
Medical students working at the parking lot over the weekend to screen the homeless people for coronavirus symptoms
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