Health officials launch effort to test Madison's homeless population for coronavirus

People seeking homeless services at two Madison shelters lined up Tuesday to get tested for COVID-19, the first systematic effort to test the local homeless population in the nearly five months since the pandemic began.

The effort, a partnership between UnityPoint-Meriter and Public Health Madison & Dane County, is expected to continue testing guests and staff every other week at the two sites — the Salvation Army shelter on East Washington Avenue and Safe Haven on the east side — as well as at the emergency men’s shelter at Warner Park on the north side and the downtown day shelter The Beacon.

There have been no outbreaks at shelters so far, which health officials say is due to vigilant screening by shelter staff and strict mask policies.

“We’ve been very diligent, but it does seem almost too good to be true,” said Michael Moody, community and partner relations specialist at The Beacon.

Read more: https://madison.com/ct/news/local/govt-and-politics/health-officials-launch-effort-to-test-madisons-homeless-population-for-coronavirus/article_c0cb3a85-ee4d-5332-9536-d86933e6f306.html