Another 2,432 new cases and 29 more deaths were added to Arizona’s coronavirus dashboard Sept. 15.
COVID-19-related hospitalizations remain at seven-month highs, and ICU use is still at 92% overall.
Another 15,000 vaccine doses were reported around the state; 50% of Arizona’s total population has now been fully vaccinated, while the national average is 54%.
One community that’s been a challenge to protect throughout the pandemic is the homeless population in the Phoenix area.
It’s grown over the last18 months, and people on the streets are often more vulnerable to serious complications from COVID-19 due to preexisting conditions or substance abuse disorders.
A Valley hotel dubbed the Phoenix Inn has been used throughout the pandemic as a quarantine zone for people experiencing homelessness who are sick with COVID-19. But, as the Arizona Republic recently reported, until last week, it had rarely been full.
Then, organizers saw a spike in cases, outbreaks at local shelters and, at the same time, an acute shortage of health care workers to treat them.
Marty Hames is with Circle the City, which provides health care for people experiencing homelessness.
The Show spoke with her about the latest on the spread of COVID-19 in the homeless community. And she said they had been winding down their operations at the Phoenix Inn when the spike hit.
