Blog 4: People of Power...How Can They Help?
The coronavirus pandemic has been a unique one, because there are few answers to many questions. It has been the job of people of power and stakeholders to react in a way that makes sense, even when they might not know what that is. As said in the previous post, the CDC has released information specifically in regard to how to guide the helping of the homeless population, which is an extremely pro active step. The difficulty after that is then up to people to set it in place and do what they can to help.
In Houston, the Mayor has been very active on the topic. He addressed the situation on April 28th, during his daily briefing. He stated how the majority of Houston's homeless population deals with chronic illness, which makes them more susceptible to the virus. Through Mayor Turner's work, there have been several outreach programs to help the issue. There have been multiple acts to hand out information relating to COVID-19 and there have been 20 hand washing stations in areas with concentrated numbers of homeless people. There have been almost 9,000 masks handed out along with 65 bottles of hand sanitizer and 15,000 antibacterial wipes. Organization like Healthcare for the Homeless Houston have worked with the city to continue to provide support for these people. In additions, Harris County Sheriff's deputies are working to educate people on the virus. Deputies are handing out kits with essentials along with a sheet with vital information to help spread awareness. Even further, if a person shows symptoms there are procedures in place to provide them with proper shelter and isolation. Although this is a time of great stress and uncertainty, Mayor Turner has made it clear that there is still importance in leaving no one behind and still caring for this community. As he says, "like all undeserved communities, they are not forgotten.
We are living in a strange time. With new information constantly being found, and everyone in a similar situation, it is important to not forget about the entire community. In a time of such uncertainty for everyone, it is the job of the powerful to help the powerless. People with power, whether it's government power, wealth, or an organization, everyone has to come together to help every inch of the population. Now more than ever, it is important to take measures to make health and safety a possible priority for everyone. For the community and everyone in it, health and safety are crucial goals to strive to, and if people, the government, or organizations take action to help benefit the people with less fortune or awareness, the situation will better for everyone.
In Houston, the Mayor has been very active on the topic. He addressed the situation on April 28th, during his daily briefing. He stated how the majority of Houston's homeless population deals with chronic illness, which makes them more susceptible to the virus. Through Mayor Turner's work, there have been several outreach programs to help the issue. There have been multiple acts to hand out information relating to COVID-19 and there have been 20 hand washing stations in areas with concentrated numbers of homeless people. There have been almost 9,000 masks handed out along with 65 bottles of hand sanitizer and 15,000 antibacterial wipes. Organization like Healthcare for the Homeless Houston have worked with the city to continue to provide support for these people. In additions, Harris County Sheriff's deputies are working to educate people on the virus. Deputies are handing out kits with essentials along with a sheet with vital information to help spread awareness. Even further, if a person shows symptoms there are procedures in place to provide them with proper shelter and isolation. Although this is a time of great stress and uncertainty, Mayor Turner has made it clear that there is still importance in leaving no one behind and still caring for this community. As he says, "like all undeserved communities, they are not forgotten.
We are living in a strange time. With new information constantly being found, and everyone in a similar situation, it is important to not forget about the entire community. In a time of such uncertainty for everyone, it is the job of the powerful to help the powerless. People with power, whether it's government power, wealth, or an organization, everyone has to come together to help every inch of the population. Now more than ever, it is important to take measures to make health and safety a possible priority for everyone. For the community and everyone in it, health and safety are crucial goals to strive to, and if people, the government, or organizations take action to help benefit the people with less fortune or awareness, the situation will better for everyone.
Bibliography
“Mayor Turner Lays out 3-Part Plan to Help Homeless during Pandemic.” ABC13 Houston, 29 Apr. 2020, abc13.com/texas-homeless-in-houston-coronavirus-harris-county/6135416/.
Ruiz, Anayeli. “Harris County Sheriff's Deputies Helping Educate Homeless about COVID-19.” KHOU, 12 Apr. 2020, www.khou.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/sheriff-deputies-helping-educate-homeless-about-covid-19/285-be693b2c-4342-4e46-b2d7-fd5386fae770.
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