VIDEO: Individuals living in homeless shelters very vulnerable to COVID-19

BySarah E. Rowan, MD

In Denver, people experiencing homelessness were more likely to test positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA and antibodies in shelters than in encampments, according to study results presented at IDWeek.

“We looked at a variety of factors that could be influencing these results, including the makeup of the folks staying at shelters versus encampments,” said Sarah E. Rowan, MD, associate director of HIV and viral hepatitis prevention at Denver Public Health.

“Overall, this population is very vulnerable to COVID-19, and so the more we can learn about transmission, prevent transmission and quickly identify individuals with COVID-19 so that they can receive medical care, the better,” Rowan said.

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Sources/Disclosures

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Source:

Rowan SE, et al. Abstract LB-12. Presented at: IDWeek; Oct. 21-25, 2020 (virtual meeting).

Disclosures: Rowan reports research support from Gilead. The other authors report no relevant financial disclosures.

IDWeek

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VIDEO: Individuals living in homeless shelters very vulnerable to COVID-19

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