After conducting 679 tests at all of Jacksonville’s homeless service providers, Quest Diagnostics confirmed that no one tested positive for COVID-19.
Jacksonville was just one of two U.S. cities to receive widespread COVID-19 testing for its homeless population.
The testing came through a partnership with Community Solutions, a national nonprofit that focuses on homelessness. Quest Diagnostics chose the cities to conduct the testing, deciding on Jacksonville and Phoenix.
The Trinity Rescue Mission, Salvation Army, Clara White Mission, Hubbard House, City Rescue Mission, both Sulzbacher locations and the two Urban Rest Stops all served as hubs for administering tests.
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If a homeless person does at some test positive for coronavirus, Changing Homelessness will be able to help providers partner with local hotels to provide rooms where homeless people can go to self-isolate. The funding for the hotels is from the city’s Urban Rest Stop grant and United Way’s First Coast Relief Fund.
The testing took place during the first week of May.
Sky Lebron can be reached at slebron@wjct.org, 904-358-6319 or on Twitter at @SkylerLebron.
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