Coronavirus and Influenza Resources
Our COVID-19 Commitment
People experiencing homelessness are particularly vulnerable in the COVID-19 pandemic, and the NHCHC is creating resources and collecting guidance to help meet their needs during this evolving crisis.
The COVID-19 pandemic is evolving quickly, and new resources are emerging daily. This regularly updated page features key guidance and resources from the NHCHC, our partners, federal agencies, and frontline providers from the Health Care for the Homeless community.
Resources are listed by topic. Can’t find what you’re looking for, have something to share with us, or need technical assistance? Contact the Technical Assistance Manager. For press inquiries, contact Communications Manager.
Click here to read Council COVID-19 Flash Blast. It was a bi-weekly synopsis of key issues specific to the HCH community, policy developments, resources, and reading lists on the topic of COVID-19 during the height of the pandemic.
Most Recent Council Resources & Guidance
View our Past discussions with providers and experts leading COVID-19 response efforts and browse our archived webinars.
Federal, National, and Local Guidance
Guidance from the National Health Care for the Homeless Council:
- COVID-19 Pandemic Guidance (Nov 2022)
- Adapted Clinical Guidelines for Post-COVID Conditions (Long-COVID). Word File (Oct 2021)
- Issue Brief #7: COVID-19 & the HCH Community: Further Illustrating the Benefits of ‘Medicare-for-All’
- Webinar: COVID-19 Coffee Chat: Continuity of Care for Residents in Permanent Supportive Housing (May 12, 2020)
- COVID-19 Data Dashboard: Health Care for the Homeless Comparative Data
- Issue Brief #2: COVID-19 & the HCH Community: Needed Actions from Public Health and Emergency Response Systems
- Issue Brief #1: COVID & the HCH Community: Needed Policy Responses for a High-Risk Group
- Things to Do During the COVID-19 Crisis If You Have Diabetes
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information for Homeless Shelters and Homeless Service Providers
- Our COVID-19 Blog: Insights from the Field
- Shareable Infographics
- COVID-19 Videos and Webinars
Guidance from Federal Agencies:
- USICH: Expiring Federal Provisions That May Impact Homelessness
- USICH: Federal Health and Social Service Programs That Support People Experiencing Homelessness
- NIH:The COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel’s Interim Statement on Patient Prioritization for Outpatient Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Therapies or Preventive Strategies When There Are Logistical or Supply Constraints
- USICH: Federal Health and Social Service Programs That Support People Experiencing Homelessness
- USICH:The Omicron Variant of COVID-19 What Homeless Service Providers Need to Know
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Coronavirus Disease 2019: landing page with key information and updates
- CDC: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Summary
- CDC: Interim Guidance for Homeless Service Providers to Plan and Respond to COVID-19
- CDC: FAQ on Homelessness
- CDC: Information on People Experiencing Homelessness
- CDC: About Coronavirus Disease 2019: symptoms, prevention, and treatment
- CDC: Cleaning and Disinfection Recommendations
- CDC: Interim Guidance for Homeless Service Providers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- CDC: Youth Experiencing Homelessness
- CDC: Checklist for Homeless Service Providers During Community Re-opening
- Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): General Information and Resources
- HUD: New Integrated Approaches to Minimize the COVID-19 Risk and Address Rehousing Needs
- HUD: Preventing and Managing the Spread of Infectious Disease for People Experiencing Homelessness
- HUD: Infectious Disease Preparedness Webinar with HUD, CDC, NHCHC, and Seattle-King County
- HUD: Infectious Disease Toolkit for CoCs
- Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA): Coronavirus (COVID-19) Frequently Asked Questions
- HRSA: Emergency Preparedness and Recovery Resources for Health Centers webpage
- Department of Health and Human Services: Coronavirus Resources (Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response)
Guidance from National Organizations:
- Poor People’s Campaign: Mapping the Intersections of Poverty, Race and COVID-19
- COVID-19 Resource Guide (Homebase)
- Corporation for Supportive Housing: Resources for care coordination and supportive housing
- Beyond the Food Pantry: COVID-19 Response for Students Who are Homeless or With Experience in Foster Care (SchoolHouse Connection)
Guidance from Local Programs:
- BHCHP: COVID on the Streets of Boston
- Webinar: COVID-19 Coffee Chat: Clinical Pandemic Response for People Without Homes—Insights from Seattle & King County (March 27, 2020)
- Our Washington colleagues at Seattle-King County’s Health Care for the Homeless network are at the epicenter of the US outbreak and are rapidly and continuously producing guidance for service providers. Follow their webpage closely for regularly updated resources, such as a COVID-19 Preparedness Planning Guide, Interim Guidance on COVID-19 for Homeless Service Providers, Response Assessments, Sanitation and Hygiene Guides, and more.
- Interim Guidance: Preventing Spread of COVID-19 among Persons Experiencing Homelessness (San Francisco Department of Public Health, CA)
- Coronavirus FAQ (Valley Homeless Healthcare Program of Santa Clara County, CA)
- Health Care for the Homeless COVID-related guidance (Alameda County Health Care for the Homeless, Alameda County, CA)
- COVID-19 and Homelessness Resource Guide (Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, Hartford, CA)
- Coronavirus FAQ (Valley Homeless Healthcare Program of Santa Clara County, CA)
- Related guidance and other documents (Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority)
- All COVID-related policies: scroll down for homeless- and health-related guidance (Western New York Law Center, New York)
- COVID-19 Guidance from Hawaii (State of Hawaii)
Guidance from the National Health Care for the Homeless Council:
- NHCHC: Isolation & Quarantine Current State of Affairs Discussion (1/13/22)
- Issue Brief: COVID-19 & the HCH Community: Six Crises Leading into Winter 2020 (December 2020)
- Infographic: COVID-19 & the HCH Community: Six Crises Leading into Winter 2020 (December 2020)
- Webinar: Winter is Coming: Cold Weather & Disasters (November 13, 2020)
- Webinar: Winter is Coming: Flu & COVID-19 (November 6, 2020)
- Webinar: COVID-19 Coffee Chat: The Role of Medical Respite Care in COVID-19 Response (April 10, 2020)
- COVID-19 & the HCH Community: Medical Respite Care & Alternative Care Sites
- Reducing Harm for People Using Drugs & Alcohol During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Guide for ACS Programs
- COVID & the HCH Community: Needed Policy Responses for a High-Risk Group
Federal Agencies:
- HUD: Shelter-Based Isolation in Place
- HUD: Homeless System Response: Alternative Approaches to Isolation and Quarantine Spaces
- HUD: Strategies to Address Staffing and Service Shortages
- HUD: Homeless System Response: Shelter Renovations to Address Infection Control and Improve Shelter Quality
- CDC: Updated Quarantine and Isolation Guidance
- CDC COCA Call: What Clinicians Need to Know About the New Oral Antiviral Medication for COVID-19
- CDC COCA Call:Updates to CDC’s COVID-19 Quarantine and Isolation Guidelines in Healthcare and Non-healthcare Settings
- HUD: COVID-19 HMIS Resources
- HUD: COVID-19 Homeless System Response: Justice Partnerships and Reentry Solutions
- HUD: COVID-19 Homeless System Response: Rapid Rehousing Ramp-Up
- VA: A Clinical Resource Guide for Community Care Centers During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- HUD: Help Stop the Spread of COVID-19 by Watching for These Possible Symptoms / Spanish Version
- HUD: Cleaning Activities: You Know You’re Ready When You Have / Spanish Version
- HUD: Facility Layout: You Know You’re Ready When You Have / Spanish Version
- HUD: What to Do in a Shelter When Someone Shows COVID-19 Symptoms / Spanish Version
- HUD: Staff Capacity: Considerations for Scaling Up
- HUD: COVID-19 Homeless System Response: Winter Planning Resources
- HUD: Mitigating the Spread: Washington DC Shelter Profile
- HUD: Homeless System Response: Supporting Individuals Exiting Isolation or Quarantine
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Guidance for Alternate Care Sites and Isolation Sites
- Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): COVID-19: Shelter Management During an Infectious Disease Outbreak (also en Español)
- HUD: Preventing and Managing the Spread of Infectious Disease within Shelters
- HUD: Non-Congregate Approaches to Sheltering for COVID-19 Homeless Response
National Organizations:
- CSH: Key Considerations for States and Local Jurisdictions Exploring Hotel/Motel Acquisitions as a Housing Strategy for People Exiting COVID-19 Shelters
- NHLC: Hotel Rooms, Not Hospital Beds: Protecting People Experiencing Homelessness During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Community Solutions and the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty: Guidance on Leasing of Hotels by Governmental Entities for Use as Temporary Shelters for Quarantining of Homeless Persons During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- American Hotel & Lodging Association: Hotel-Hospital COVID-19 Response Playbook
Local Programs:
- Minnesota Department of Health: Shelter-in-place Guidance During COVID-19 Surges in Homeless Shelters
- California Department of Public Health: Guidance for Local Health Jurisdictions on Isolation and Quarantine of the General Public
- Public Health Seattle, King County: Current COVID-19 Guidance in King County
- Public Health Seattle, King County: COVID-19 Homelessness Response
- NY State: Updated Isolation & Quarantine Guidance
- LA County: Discharging COVID Positive PEH
- LA County: Shelter Isolation Best Practices
- San Francisco Department of Public Health Isolation and Quarantine Guidance
- Public Health Seattle King County: Point of Care COVID-19 Testing Checklist for Homeless Service Providers
- Public Health Seattle King County: Planning tool for Severe Weather/Emergency Sheltering During COVID-19
- Public Health Seattle King County: Supporting COVID-19 Positive and/or Symptomatic Guests within Congregate Shelters
- Chicago Department of Public Health: Guidance for Mitigation of COVID-19 in Homeless Shelters: December 2021
- Colorado Coalition for the Homeless: Testing, Risk Stratification, D/C Criteria & mAb Prioritization v. 1/12/22
- Chicago Standards for Shelter-Based Health Care
- Chicago Homelessness and Health Response Group for Equity: COVID-19 Response Report
- Webinar: COVID-19 Coffee Chat: Structuring I/Q Sites for People Experiencing Homelessness: Examples and Guidance from Alameda County’s Project Roomkey (May 5, 2020)
- Coronavirus guidance for congregate living facilities (Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, CA)
- Edward Thomas House Medical Respite COVID-19 (C-19) Protocol (Seattle & King County, WA)
- Edward Thomas House: Medical Respite Webinar and Resources (Seattle & King County, WA)
- COVID-19 Respite Facility for People Experiencing Homelessness (City of New Haven, CT)
- Guidance: Referring Persons Experiencing Homelessness with COVID-19 Symptoms But Not Yet Diagnosed with COVID-19 Disease to Isolation in Individual Hotel Rooms (Heartland Alliance Health in Chicago, IL)
- Operation Comfort: Alameda County Emergency Hotel Shelter Handbook (Alameda County, CA)
- Columbus, OH: Guidelines for establishing hotel/motels as isolation, quarantine, respite or emergency shelters (Coalition on Homeless and Housing in Ohio)
- Guidance to Shelter Providers and Other Community Partners in Operating Under COVID-19 Requirements (Monroe County Shelter Bed Task Group, Monroe County, NY)
Guidance from the National Health Care for the Homeless Council:
- Webinar: COVID-19 Coffee Chat: Organizing Showers & Hygiene Access for People Living Outside (October 9, 2020)
- Webinar: COVID-19 Coffee Chat: Addressing the Pandemic in Rural Communities (May 15, 2020)
- Webinar: COVID-19 Coffee Chat: Reaching Unsheltered People (April 3, 2020)
- Quick Information: Responding to COVID-19 Among People Experiencing Unsheltered Homelessness
Guidance from Federal Agencies:
- HUD: COVID-19 Homeless System Response: Winter Planning Resources
- HUD: Protecting Health and Well-being of People in Encampments During an Infectious Disease Outbreak
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Preventing and Managing the Spread of Infectious Disease within Encampments
- CDC: COVID-19: Essential Services for Encampments During an Infectious Disease Outbreak
- CDC: Interim Guidance for Responding to COVID-19 among People Experiencing Unsheltered Homelessness
- CDC: Interim Guidance on Unsheltered Homelessness and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) for Homeless Service Providers and Local Officials
Guidance from National Organizations:
- Request technical assistance on organizing mobile showers and hygiene access from LavaMaeˣ
- Street Medicine Institute: Street Medicine Practice During the COVID-19 Epidemic
Guidance from Local Programs:
- Pandemic Handbook for Outreach Workers Visiting Encampments (Neighborhood Health, Nashville, TN)
- Interim Guidance for Safe Sleeping Villages to Reduce the Risk of COVID-19 (San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA)
- Interim Guidance for Safe Sleeping for Unsheltered Persons Experiencing Homelessness to Reduce the Risk of COVID-19 (San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA)
Guidance from the National Health Care for the Homeless Council:
- Webinar: Testing for COVID-19 in Homeless Shelters & Encampments: Discussing CDC’s New Health Department Guidance & NHCHC’s Newest Issue Brief (July 10, 2020)
- Issue Brief #6: COVID-19 & the HCH Community: Strategies for Proactive Universal Testing
- Issue Brief #4: COVID-19 & the HCH Community: Comprehensive Testing & Services For People Experiencing Homelessness
- Quick Information: How to Use Personal Protective Equipment: A Quick Reference Guide for Frontline Clinical Providers
- Webinar: COVID-19 Coffee Chat: Testing for COVID-19 in Homeless Shelters (May 4, 2020)
Guidance from Federal Agencies:
- HHS: COVID-19 Test to Treat Locator
- HUD: Addressing Your Concerns About the COVID-19 Booster Shot
- CDC: Interim Considerations for Health Departments for SARS-CoV-2 Testing in Homeless Shelters and Encampments
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Report to Congress: COVID-19 Strategic Testing Plan
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Screening Clients for Respiratory Infection Symptoms at Entry to Homeless Shelters
- Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): COVID-19: How to Screen Clients Upon Entry to Shelter or Opportunity Centers
- CDC: Evaluating and Reporting Persons Under Investigation (PUI)
- CDC: PPE: Recommendation Regarding the Use of Cloth Face Coverings
- CDC: Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of PPE
- CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: COVID-19 Outbreak Among Three Affiliated Homeless Service Sites — King County, Washington, 2020
- CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Prevalence in Homeless Shelters — Four U.S. Cities, March 27–April 15, 2020
Guidance from National Organizations:
- Jacksonville Case Study: COVID-19 Testing Pilot (Community Solutions)
- The DIY Face Shield Project: Improvising PPE
Guidance from Local Programs:
- Antigen Testing in Congregate Shelters: Process Outline and Implementation Playbook (California Department of Public Health)
- Positive COVID-19 Test Result Workflow (Houston)
- Workflow for individual screening, testing, and isolation (Greensboro, NC)
- COVID-19 Congregate Homeless Shelter Response (Baltimore City, MD)
- Universal COVID-19 Testing for People Experiencing Homelessness (Mercy Care, Atlanta, GA)
- COVID Homeless Screener with Temperature and Screening Supply List (Heartland Alliance Health)
- Patient attestation forms: English and Spanish (Boston Public Health Commission, Boston, MA)
- Guidance: Referring Persons Experiencing Homelessness with COVID-19 Positive Test Results (Heartland Alliance Health, Chicago, IL)
- Guidance on the Discharge of High-Risk COVID-19 Persons Under Investigation (PUI) or Confirmed Cases (Chicago Department of Public Health, Chicago, IL)
- COVID-19 Client Triage Tool: Atlanta CoC Example (Atlanta, GA)
- Health Screening Tool (RI)
Academic Research:
- Homeless shelter characteristics and prevalence of SARS-CoV-2. (Karb R, et al., West J Emerg Med. 2020; 21(5): 1048-1053.)
- Risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection in homeless shelters in Chicago, IL – March – May 2020. (Ghinai I, et al., Open-Forum Infectious Diseases. Oct 12, 2020: e1-e8.)
- Shelter characteristics, infection prevention practices, and universal testing for SARS-CoV-2 at homeless shelters in 7 US urban areas. (Self JL, et al., Am J Public Health. Mar 18, 2021:e1–e6.)
- Characteristics of COVID-19 in Homeless Shelters: A Community-Based Surveillance Study (September 2020, Rogers, et al., Annals of Internal Medicine)
- COVID-19 Outbreak at a Large Homeless Shelter in Boston: Implications for Universal Testing (Research by Travis P. Baggett, Harrison Keyes, Nora Sporn, and Jessie M. Gaeta)
Guidance from Federal Agencies:
- HRSA: COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Planning Checklist
- HUD: A Response Guide for Staff and Vaccine Ambassadors to Address Questions and Building Confidence About the COVID-19 Vaccine
- Evaluating and Caring for Patients with Post-COVID Conditions: Interim Guidance (CDC)
- HHS-HUD COVID-19 Vaccinations and Testing Toolkit (HHS/HUD)
- Motivational Interviewing for COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy (SAMHSA)
- Considerations for a Long-Term Infection Prevention Strategy for People Experiencing Unsheltered Homelessness (CDC)
- Equitable Vaccine Implementation: Reaching People Where They Are (CDC)
- Vaccine Distribution & Survivor Safety Considerations for Homeless Service Providers (HUD)
- CoC Analysis Tool: Race and Ethnicity (HUD)
- Racially Equitable Responses to COVID-19 (HUD)
- COVID-19 Homeless System Response Staff Orientation to Racial Equity (HUD)
- COVID-19 Homeless System Response Racial Trauma and Trauma Informed Services (HUD)
- COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution: HUD Message HUD (Updated)
- The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ Interim Recommendations for Use of Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine – United States, February 2021 (CDC MMWR)
- Ensuring Equity in COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution (HRSA)
- Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine (Johnson & Johnson) (CDC)
- National Forum on COVID-19 Vaccine Resource Page (CDC)
- Common Side Effects of the COVID-19 Vaccine Flyer (HUD)
- Addressing Your Concerns About the COVID-19 Vaccine Flyer (HUD)
- HUD Recommendations for CoCs Preparing for Vaccine Rollout Flyer (HUD)
- Transit Considerations: Bringing Clients to a COVID-19 Vaccination Event (HUD)
- COVID-19 Vaccination Data: HMIS and IIS Alignment (HUD)
- Data Collection Options for COVID-19 Vaccines (HUD)
- COVID-19 Vaccination Intent, Perceptions, and Reasons for Not Vaccinating Among Groups Prioritized for Early Vaccination – United States, September and December 2020 (CDC)
- Addressing Your Concerns about the Vaccine (HUD)
- The Time is Now! Talking with People Experiencing Homelessness about the COVID-19 Vaccine (HUD)
- COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Considerations for Special Populations (HUD)
- Utilizing Incentives to Increase Vaccine Adherence (HUD)
- Interim Guidance for Health Departments: COVID-19 Vaccination Implementation for People Experiencing Homelessness (CDC)
- Preparing Staff for the COVID-19 Vaccination: Communication and Confidence Checklist (HUD)
- Preparing Staff for the COVID-19 Vaccine: Meeting Template (HUD)
- COVID-19 Vaccination Conversation Tips for Homeless Service Providers (HUD)
- COVID-19 Vaccination for People Experiencing Homelessness (CDC)
- Q&A from Vaccination for People Experiencing Homelessness Webinar (CDC)
- Why Get Vaccinated Flyer (HUD)
- How to Build Staff Confidence in COVID-19 Vaccines (HUD)
- Vaccine Ambassador Program and Job Description (HUD)
- Questions to Assist CoCs and Public Health Authorities to Plan and Prepare for Vaccine Distribution (HUD)
- Vaccine Planning and Distribution: Roles and Responsibilities for Homeless Service Providers (HUD)
- COVID-19 Vaccination for People Experiencing Homelessness: Frequently Asked Questions (CDC)
- Sub-prioritization of Healthcare Personnel for COVID-19 vaccination (CDC)
- Vaccination Communication Toolkit For Medical Centers, Clinics, and Clinicians (CDC)
- Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination (CDC)
- How CDC Is Making COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations (CDC)
- 8 Things to Know about Vaccine Planning (CDC)
- COVID-19 Vaccine Homepage (FDA)
Guidance from National Organizations:
- Manatt: Incentives for COVID-19 Vaccination: Regulatory Considerations and Potential Federal Funding
- Inequities in Health and Health Care in Black and Latinx/Hispanic Communities: 23 Charts (The Commonwealth Fund)
- Challenges and Opportunities for Hotel-to-Housing Conversions in NYC (Working Paper) (Furman Center)
- Language That Works to Improve Vaccine Acceptance (Health Leads)
- KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor (Kaiser Family Foundation)
- Memo to the Field: COVID-19 and Frontline Employees (NHLC & NAEH)
- Memo to the Field: COVID-19 and Consumers (NHLC & NAEH)
- COVID-19 Vaccine Myths Debunked (Mayo Clinic)
- Assessment of a Hotel-Based COVID-19 Isolation and Quarantine Strategy for Persons Experiencing Homelessness (JAMA Network)
- COVID-19 Risk Tool Calculator (Johns Hopkins & University of Maryland Research Team)
- COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ (American Academy of Family Physicians)
Guidance from the National Health Care for the Homeless Council:
- Issue Brief: COVID-19 & the HCH Community: Calculating Vaccination Rates | Sept 2022
- Webinar: Increasing Access to COVID-19 Vaccines Among Homeless Populations: Successful Partnerships Series
- Infographic: COVID-19 Vaccines: Moderna, Pfizer BioNTech, Janssen
- Infographic: COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine FAQ
- Issue Brief: COVID-19 & the HCH Community: Consumer Perspectives of the COVID-19 Vaccine
- NHCHC Poverty Policy Podcast: Episode 13: Vaccines
- Webinar: COVID-19 & the HCH Community: Vaccines for Patients and Staff
- Issue Brief: COVID-19 & the HCH Community: Vaccines for Patients and Staff
Guidance from Local Programs:
- University of Minnesota: Conversation Guide: Breakthrough Infections
- Get Vaccinated Campaign (University of Minnesota)
- Unaccompanied Minors Access to the COVID-19 Vaccine (Chicago Coalition for the Homeless)
- Memo- Minor Consent (Chicago Coalition for the Homeless)
- FACT SHEET: Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine Benefits and Risks (California Department of Public Health)
- COVID-19 Vaccine Event Flyer (Circle the City)
- Lesson Learned: Planning & Implementing a Vaccine Strategy For People Experiencing Homelessness (State of California – Vaccinate all 58)
- Preparing to Vaccinate People Experiencing Homelessness Who are Unsheltered (State of California – Vaccinate all 58)
- COVID-19 Vaccine Facts Poster in English and Spanish (Colorado Coalition for the Homeless)
- COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Facts Pocket Guide (Colorado Coalition for the Homeless)
- COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Facts Pocket Guide – Spanish (Colorado Coalition for the Homeless)
- J&J Facts Pocket Guide (Colorado Coalition for the Homeless)
- J&J Facts Pocket Guide – Spanish (Colorado Coalition for the Homeless)
- Benioff Community Health Outreach Worker Model: Considerations for Vaccine Ambassador Programs (UCSF)
- Minnesota Guidance for Allocating and Prioritizing COVID-19 Vaccine – Phase 1a (MN Department of Health)
- Denver Joint Task Force Recommendations for COVID-19 Vaccination in People Experiencing Homelessness (Colorado Coalition for the Homeless)
- Get the Facts on the COVID-19 Vaccination (Hennepin County – Health Care for the Homeless)
- mRNA Vaccine Facts – 4-sided Wallet Card (Colorado Coalition for the Homeless)
- Facts About COVID-19 Vaccines (Houston Healthcare for the Homeless)
- Vaccine Preparation Checklist (State of California – Vaccinate all 58)
- Guidelines for conversations with shelter staff and guests (Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program)
- Moderna Severe Symptom data and Work guidelines (Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program)
- Vaccine Preparation at Congregate Shelters Assessment (Boston Health Care for the Homeless Programs)
- DRAFT Vaccine Prioritization at CCH (Colorado Coalition for the Homeless)
- COVID Vaccine Myth/Fact Messaging Flyer (BHCHP)
- Staff Training on Vaccines and Equity (Minneapolis, MN)
- Homeless Health Care Providers and the COVID-19 Vaccine (Alameda County Health Care for the Homeless)
Guidance from the National Health Care for the Homeless Council:
- Things to Do for a Virtual Visit: Tips for Clients (February 2021)
- COVID-19 & the HCH Community: Ensuring Access to Care Through State Medicaid Telehealth Policies (November 2020)
- Building the Plane While Flying It: Health Care for the Homeless, Telehealth and COVID-19, Part II (September 2020)
- Building the Plane While Flying It: Case Studies on COVID-19, Telehealth, and Health Care for the Homeless Centers (August 2020)
- Webinar: COVID-19 Coffee Chat: Using Telehealth Services for Patient Care (May 2020)
Guidance from Federal Agencies:
- Addressing the Behavioral Health Needs of Unsheltered and Vulnerable Populations During the Pandemic – Part I (HRSA)
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA): Buprenorphine and Telemedicine COVID-19 Guidance
- Federal Communications Commission: COVID-19 Telehealth Program
Guidance from National Organizations:
- Launching a Toolkit for Safety Net Clinics Implementing Telemedicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic (The Commonwealth Fund)
- General Telehealth Resources (National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers)
- COVID-19 Telehealth Coverage Policies (Center for Connected Health Policy)
- COVID-19 Telehealth Resources (Northeast Telehealth Resource Center)
- Telehealth Resources for COVID-19 Toolkit (Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center)
Guidance from the National Health Care for the Homeless Council:
- Webinar: COVID-19 Coffee Chat: Avoiding Civil Detention: Responding to Clients Who Violate Isolation Orders (April 24, 2020)
- Webinar: COVID-19 Coffee Chat: Supporting Clients’ Mental Health During Isolation and Quarantine (April 17, 2020)
- Reducing Harm for People Using Drugs & Alcohol During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Guide for ACS Programs
- Harm Reduction: Preparing People for Change: An Online Course of with the National Alliance to End Homelessness’s COVID-19 Online Learning Series
Guidance from Federal Agencies:
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA): Updated FAQs for Opioid Use Disorder Prescribing and Dispensing in the COVID-19 Emergency
- SAMHSA: Buprenorphine and Telemedicine COVID-19 Guidance
Guidance from National Organizations:
- Vital Strategies and Harm Reduction Coalition: COVID-19, Stimulant Use, and Harm Reduction
- Harm Reduction Coalition: Guidance for People Who Use Drugs and Harm Reduction Programs
- Yale Program in Addiction Medicine: COVID-19 Guidance for Clinicians & Opioid Treatment Programs
- American Medical Association: COVID-19 policy recommendations for OUD, Pain, Harm Reduction
- NASTAD: COVID-19 Updates and Resources
- NASTAD: Health Department Responses to COVID-19: Webinar: Supporting SSPS and Harm Reduction Programs
Guidance from Local Programs:
- San Francisco AIDS Foundation: COVID-19 and Harm Reduction: Information for People Who Use Drugs and Syringe Service and other Harm Reduction Providers (San Francisco, CA)
- SF United in Crisis: A Medically Indicated Plan to Prevent Spread of COVID-19 Among Unhoused People (San Francisco, CA)
- Association of Clinicians for the Underserved: Building an Inclusive Organization: A Toolkit for Health Centers
- Center for Health Care Strategies: Incorporating Racial Equity Into Trauma-Informed Care
- Racism, Homelessness, and COVID-19 (National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty)
- COVID-19 Homeless System Response: Advancing Racial Equity through Assessments and Prioritization (HUD)
- Better For It – COVID-19 Vaccine Toolkit (American Lung Association, partnering with The Center for Black Health & Equity)
- Black Coalition (Black Coalition Against Covid)
- Webinar: Winter is Coming: Evictions & Social Upheaval (NHCHC)
- Systemic Racism & Health Care, COVID & Treatment (NIHCM Foundation)
- What We Heard about COVID-19, Homelessness, and Services from People with Lived Experience (National Innovation Services)
- On the Frontlines: Nonprofits Led by People of Color Confront COVID-19 and Structural Racism (Building Movement Project)
- Staff Orientation to Racial Equity (HUD)
- Creating a Cultural Equity Plan: Organizational Policies and Procedures (HUD)
- Equity Capacity Building: Hiring, Supervision, Training (HUD)
- Racial Trauma and Trauma-Informed Services (HUD)
- Integrating Equity in the Time of COVID-19 (Homebase)
- Race, Homelessness, and COVID-19: Guidance for Homeless Services Providers (Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio)
- COVID-19 Racial Equity Resource Guide (Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority)
- COVID-19 Homeless System Response: Prevention to Promote Equity (HUD)
- Policing, Incarceration, & COVID-19 from the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty
- Compounding Oppression: Antiracism in COVID-19 Response
- Racial Justice During Crises: COVID will show you whether it’s a priority by Michael Durham, National Health Care for the Homeless Council
- Race, Homelessness, and COVID-19 from the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty
- CSH blog by Pascale Leon
- An Equitable Systems Transformation Framework for COVID-19 from National Innovation Services
- COVID-19 – Racial Equity & Social Justice Resources from Racial Equity Tools
- Central City Concern internal guidance
- Oregon health authority recommendations
- An Invitation to Center Race in Government Responses to COVID-19 by Living Cities
- CDC Statement on Reducing Stigma
- Strategies for racial equity in COVID-19 response
- Equity Tool (Corporation for Supportive Housing)
- Centering Equity in Health & Housing Partnerships in Times of Crisis & Beyond (CSH)
- Crises as Catalyst: A Call for Race Equity & Inclusive Leadership (ProInspire)
- Equity at the Intersection of Race and Housing (Public Health Newswire)
Guidance from the National Health Care for the Homeless Council:
- Patient Virtual Visit Tip Sheet
- How to Wear and Care for your Cloth Face Covering
- Things to Do During the COVID-19 Crisis If You Have Diabetes
- Cover Your Cough Flyer (English)
- Cover Your Cough Flyer (Spanish)
- Did You Wash Your Hands Flyer
Guidance from Federal Agencies:
- People Experiencing Homelessness: numerous information flyers aimed at consumers (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Information for people experiencing homelessness (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Guidance from National Organizations:
- FAQ from National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
- COVID-19 Guidance for People Who Use Substances (Yale Program in Addiction Medicine)
- COVID-19 Guidance for People Engaged in Substance Use Treatment (Yale Program in Addiction Medicine)
Guidance from Local Programs:
- Information for people who are homeless and use drugs (courtesy of the Homeless Youth Alliance in San Francisco)
- “How do you wash your hands when…?” (from Western Regional Advocacy Project)
- Public Health, Seattle & King County: Protecting Yourself and Others on the Bus (Seattle, WA)
- Public Health, Seattle & King County: COVID-19 Health Warning for People Living Homeless (Seattle, WA)
- Public Health, Seattle & King County: Special Guidance: Wearing Cloth Face Coverings (Seattle, WA)
- Public Health, Seattle & King County: Special Guidance: Staying Safe When in Line for Food/Shelter (Seattle, WA)
- Coronavirus Anxiety Workbook from the Wellness Society
- Mindfulness in the Time of Crisis podcast from C4 Innovations
Guidance from the National Health Care for the Homeless Council:
- NHCHC: COVID-19 & the HCH Community Maintaining Access to Dental Services
- NHCHC: National HCH Council Emergency Preparedness Resources
- Pandemic Influenza Guidance for Homeless Shelters & Homeless Service Providers (2009) | The National Health Care for the Homeless Council developed this practical manual for homeless shelters and other service providers as they plan for and respond to the special needs of people without homes during the influenza season. Different facilities will need to tailor the guidance to meet the specific needs of their staff and the people they serve. The manual consolidates a number of materials developed by credible authorities.
- Influenza chapter from The Health Care of Homeless Persons
Guidance from Federal Agencies:
- CDC MMWR: Notes from the Field: COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage Among Persons Experiencing Homelessness – Six U.S. Jurisdictions, December 2020-August 2021
- CDC MMWR: Patterns in COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage, by Social Vulnerability and Urbanicity — United States, December 14, 2020–May 1, 2021
- CDC MMWR: COVID-19 Outbreak Among Three Affiliated Homeless Service Sites – King County, Washington, 2020
- CDC MMWR: Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Prevalence in Homeless Shelters — Four U.S. Cities, March 27–April 15, 2020
- HHS/ASPE: Individuals Experiencing Homelessness are Likely to have Medical Conditions Associated with Severe Illness from COVID-19
- HUD: Homeless System Response: Changes to Coordinated Entry Prioritization to Support and Respond to COVID-19
- HUD: HUD Issues Availability of Regulatory Waivers for CoC, ESG, and HOPWA Programs to Help Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 and Mitigate Economic Impacts
- HRSA: Emergency Preparedness and Recovery Resources for Health Centers
- CDC: Emerging Infectious Diseases
- CDC: Pandemic Influenza Plan Template for Primary Care Provider Offices
Academic Research:
- JAMA Network: Incidence of COVID-19 Among Persons Experiencing Homelessness in the US From January 2020 to November 2021
- JAMA Network: Association of Shelter-in-Place Hotels With Health Services Use Among People Experiencing Homelessness During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- PLOS Medicine: Disparities in Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccines Across US Counties: A Geographic Information System-Based Cross-Sectional Study
- Health Affairs: COVID-19 Vaccination Of People Experiencing Homelessness And Incarceration In Minnesota
- CIDRAP: Different Variants Produce Varied Long COVID Symptoms, Study Suggests
- CIDRAP: Contact Tracing May have Averted 1.4 Million US COVID Cases in 2 Months
- JAMA Network: Changes in COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Black and White Individuals in the US
- CIDRAP: 12% to 15% of US Adults Report Serious Psychological Distress amid COVID
- National Library of Medicine: Drug Overdoses During the COVID-19 pandemic Among Recently Homeless Individuals
- CIDRAP: Babies Born to COVID-vaccinated Moms Have Antibodies at 6 Months
- MedRxIV: Analytical Sensitivity of Seven SARS-CoV-2 Antigen-Detecting Rapid Tests for Omicron Variant
- The Commonwealth Fund: The U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Program at One Year: How Many Deaths and Hospitalizations Were Averted?
- AJPH: Using Point-In-Time Homeless Counts to Monitor Mortality Trends Among People Experiencing Homelessness in Los Angeles County, California, 2015-2019
- CIDRAP: Lack of High School Education Predicts Vaccine Hesitancy
- JAMA Network: Lottery-Based Incentives and COVID-19 Vaccination Rates in the US
- Science Direct: Eviction, Healthcare Utilization, and Disenrollment Among New York City Medicaid Patients
- JAMA Network: Hospitalizations for COVID-19 Among US People Experiencing Incarceration or Homelessness
- MedRxIV: Direct Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 Nasal RT-PCR and Rapid Antigen Test (BinaxNOW) at a Community Testing Site During an Omicron Surge
- JAMA: Assessment of a Hotel-Based Protective Housing Program for Incidence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Management of Chronic Illness Among Persons Experiencing Homelessness
- Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment: Differential impact of COVID-19 across racial-ethnic identities in persons with opioid use disorder
- SSRN: Association between statewide financial incentive programs and COVID-19 vaccination rates
- JAMA: Eviction Moratoria Expiration and COVID-19 Infection Risk Across Strata of Health and Socioeconomic Status in the United States
- The Lancet:Risk factors and disease profile of post-vaccination SARS-2CoV-2 infection in UK users of the COVID Symptom Study app: a prospective, community-based, nested, case-control study
- The Lancet:Considerations in boosting COVID-19 vaccine immune responses
- UCLA: We Do Not Forget: Stolen Lives of LA’s Unhoused During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- JAMA Network:Association of a Prior Psychiatric Diagnosis With Mortality Among Hospitalized Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Infection
- Sage Journals: COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptability Among Clients and Staff of Homeless Shelters in Detroit, Michigan, February 2021
- CIDRAP: Full ICUs Amid COVID Surges Could Lead to Thousands of Extra Deaths
- CIDRAP:Racial Minorities, Psychiatric Patients More Likely to Die of COVID-19
- Oxford Academic: SARS-CoV-2 Reinfection Associates with Unstable Housing and Occurs in the Presence of Antibodies
- JAMA:Disparities in COVID-19 Outcomes by Race, Ethnicity, and Socioeconomic Status: A Systematic-Review and Meta-analysis
- Estimated Mortality Increases During the COVID-19 Pandemic By Socioeconomic Status, Race, And Ethnicity (Miller, Wherry, and Mazumder, July 2021)
- SARS-Cov-2 prevalence, transmission, health-related outcomes and control strategies in homeless shelters: Systemic review and meta-analysis (Mohsenpour, et al., July, 2021)
- Eviction, Health Inequity, and the Spread of COVID-19: Housing Policy as a Primary Pandemic Mitigation Strategy (Benfer et al., January 2021)
- The health impact of eviction: Evidence from the national longitudinal study of adolescent to adult health (Hoke and Boen, March 2021)
- The Establishment of Isolation and Noncongregate Hotels During COVID-19 and Symptom Evolution Among People Experiencing Homelessness—Atlanta, Georgia, 2020 (Montgomery, et al., 2021)
- Assessment of Contact Tracing for COVID-19 among People Experiencing Homelessness, Salt Lake County Health Department, March-May 2020 (Fields, V., et al, 2021)
- Hand hygiene during the COVID-19 pandemic among people experiencing homelessness-Atlanta, Georgia, 2020 (Montgomery, M., et al., 2021)
- Factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 positivity in 20 homeless shelters in Toronto, Canada, from April to July 2020: a repeated cross-sectional study (Kiran, et al; 2021)
- Elevated mortality among people experiencing homelessness with COVID-19 (Leifheit, et al., 2021)
- Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Residents of a Large Homeless Shelter in Boston (letter published in JAMA Network)
- Infectious disease exposures and contact tracing in homeless shelters (Hwang et al., 2008)
- Pandemic Planning in Homeless Shelters: A pilot study of a COVID-19 testing and support program to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks in congregate settings (Bodkin et al., 2020)
- Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak in a San Francisco Homeless Shelter (Imbert et al., 2020)
- Comparison of four COVID-19 screening strategies to facilitate early case identification within the homeless shelter population: A structured summary of a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial (O’Shea et al., 2020)
- Homeless Shelter Characteristics and Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 (Karb et al., 2020)
- Elevated mortality among people experiencing homelessness with COVID-19 (medRxiv)
- Assessment of a Hotel-Based COVID-19 Isolation and Quarantine Strategy for Persons Experiencing Homelessness (JAMA Network)
- Clinical Outcomes, Costs, and Cost-effectiveness of Strategies for Adults Experiencing Sheltered Homelessness During the COVID-19 Pandemic (research by Travis Baggett, Justine Scott, and Mylinh Le published in JAMA Network Open)
- Phylogenetic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 in Boston highlights the impact of superspreading events (Science, Dec. 2020)
- Expiring Eviction Moratoriums and COVID-19 Incidence and Mortality (Leifheit et al., 2020)
- Epidemiology of COVID-19 among People Experiencing Homelessness: Early Evidence from Boston (Research by Travis P. Baggett, Elizabeth Lewis, and Jessie M. Gaeta)
- Estimated Emergency and Observational/Quarantine Capacity Need for the US Homeless Population Related to COVID-19 Exposure by County; Projected Hospitalizations, Intensive Care Units and Mortality (Culhane et al., 2020)
- Community-level COVID-19 Homelessness Planning & Response Dashboard (Dashboard based on research report)
- Leung, C. et al. (2008). Homelessness and the Response to Emerging Infectious Disease Outbreaks: Lessons from SARS. Journal of Urban Health 85 (3): 402-410.