вЂњThis is due to racism and discrimination in healthcare and lack of access to adequate healthcare,вЂќ DeYoung said. These groups have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19, including facing greater rates of hospitalizations and deaths. This can help slow the spread of the virus.ДeYoung said states should also be taking steps to protect vulnerable populations, such as Black Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, and Native Americans. Lisa Rodriguez-Presley, external affairs supervisor for the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency said shelters should have separate spaces where people who have been exposed to the virus can be isolated from others.

Having supplies of hand sanitizer, gloves, and masks for use by shelter staff and residents.

Using enhanced cleaning and disinfecting techniques to eliminate the virus from surfaces, especially high-touch surfaces such as light switches and doorknobs.

Increasing the space between cots so physical distancing can be maintained.

Children under 2 years old, people with difficulty breathing, and those who canвЂ™t remove the mask themselves would be exempt.

Requiring shelter staff and residents to wear a cloth face covering at all times, except when eating or showering.

Screening people for symptoms of COVID-19 and taking their temperature, both before they enter a shelter and ongoing.

This includes following the guidance of both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local public health units, such as: But theyвЂ™ll put in place enhanced safety precautions to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. If local public health officials ask the American Red Cross to help set up a traditional emergency shelter, the organization will do so, said Carter. вЂњHotels provide a safer environment for families and individuals who have been evacuated, and we can provide services to them directly in their hotel room,вЂќ said Chad Carter, an American Red Cross spokesperson.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released guidelines which recommend that state and local disaster agencies find shelter locations where people and families can be more isolated, such as in hotels, motels, or university dorms. In order to minimize these risks, the U.S. DeYoung, PhD, an assistant professor in sociology and criminal justice at the University of Delaware. вЂњConventional hurricane evacuation shelters - such as a convention center - are high-risk locations for spreading COVID-19 because these shelters typically have hundreds and sometimes thousands of people,вЂќ said Sarah E. This makes it more challenging to set up shelters for people displaced by a natural disaster.

The coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, that causes COVID-19 is thought to spread mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets produced when a person with the virus talks, sneezes, or coughs.

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