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Homeless And Coronavirus: Sacramento County Says 663 Beds Are Coming To House Homeless

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — More than 600 beds are coming to Sacramento County to help house the homeless during the coronavirus public health crisis.

The Sacramento Homelessness COVID-19 Response Team released new information today about its plan to help homeless individuals find shelter and slow the spread of the coronavirus.

People experiencing homelessness are at a higher risk of exposure to coronavirus if they live in group settings and are often unable to isolate and recover.

According to a release sent on Wednesday, the team is adding 200 beds in existing shelter programs, operationalizing 200 motel rooms with services in the short-term, delivering 63 trailers to Cal Expo this week, and expediting 200 Housing Choice Vouchers for homeless families.

READ ALSO: Homeless & Coronavirus: Unreliable Access To Hand-Washing Stations Increases Risk In Sacramento

Providing these new shelter and housing options for Sacramento's homeless population can decrease the risk of the virus spreading among people experiencing homelessness and lessen the strain on medical facilities.

Another concern for homeless individuals is proper hygiene, which is paramount in slowing the spread of the virus. The team announced sanitation supplies have been delivered to 14 homeless service providers to help with that problem. They are also working to distribute food and medicine to higher-risk clients.

The Homeless COVID-19 Response team did not say where the 200 motel rooms are located. They did say the team hopes to acquire 800 motels rooms.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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