Medical students are helping the homeless in quarantine survive the virus, isolation

The novel coronavirus poses a unique predicament for the homeless. If a homeless person contracts COVID-19 and needs isolation, where do they go? They can’t go to a shelter. The virus can spread like wildfire in such communal settings. Even if they find a place to quarantine, who will monitor their health? The Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (HWCOM) joined forces with the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust and the Rotatory Club of Miami for a telehealth initiative to help homeless individuals infected with the virus. “Because people with COVID-19 can decompensate quickly, and the homeless are a particularly vulnerable population that lacks resources, we wanted to make sure that these patients are followed closely,” said Dr. Gregory Schneider, associate professor in the Division of Family and Community Medicine.