Covid 19 coronavirus Delta outbreak: Portable buildings needed for homeless to self-isolate

Te Tuinga Whanau Support Services executive director Tommy Wilson. Photo / File

Cabins, motor lodges, and motels are being made available for people who need to self-isolate when they don't have anywhere to go.

Meanwhile, a social agency is trying to find somewhere to create a village of portable buildings for the homeless to self-isolate when they get Covid-19.

Te Tuinga Whanau executive director Tommy Wilson is looking for a site to accommodate at least 20 portable buildings.

The trust manages transitional and emergency housing in motels and houses around Tauranga.

The trust had a Covid scare last week when three house residents were identified as close contacts but they had since returned negative tests.

Wilson feared what would happen should a case be confirmed at the motel as the entire facility would need to isolate, putting staff and vulnerable clients at risk.

"What are we going to do when we have to start isolating homeless people ... it's really hard putting a plan together for someone that hasn't got a house."

Wilson said marae were off the cards as they needed to be kept safe and motels wouldn't take them.

Wilson said a minimum of 20 portable buildings, which could fit a family of four, were needed.

Wilson had been in touch with a company that had portable buildings available but said he needed somewhere to put them before he committed to hiring them.

Ministry of Social Development regional commissioner Mike Bryant. Photo / File

One of his staff had looked into the logistics of putting a village together but this took weeks of planning, he said, and the need was urgent.

The location would need to have shower and toilet facilities, and somewhere like a safe car park or motor camp that was open to having a "mini isolation village".

Wilson estimated 20 cabins would cost about $10,000 a week and would be, in his opinion, more effective than a motel unit that risked spreading the virus.

"It needs to be done now," he said, with recent cases in the city.

Losing staff was another concern, having stood down six workers after the trust had made vaccines mandatory.

"If I lose a staff member because they have to self-isolate, there's no one to take their place."

He said if iwi, social services, and the health board came together and agreed on the isolation village, it was possible.

"On our own, it's almost too hard. We're in the business of looking after families that need housing and food, we're not in the health business."

He said it would "overstretch" his "already stretched" team.

He said he believed the responsibility of this challenge was collective, however, it was unclear where the responsibility currently sat.

Ngai Te Rangi chief executive Paora Stanley. Photo / File

Ngāi Te Rangi's chief executive Paora Stanley said the iwi was exploring setting up a self-isolation and quarantine - manaaki (SIQ-M) facility for people that needed to self isolate after getting a positive Covid-19 test.

Details about the facility could not yet be released as it was commercially sensitive, he said.

It would be for anyone that needed it, including someone who was homeless, and would include single and multiple rooms so it could host individuals or families.

Stanely said the accommodation itself was the easy part, with the challenge being in providing the needed round-the-clock care.

This included having frequent visits from doctors and nurses, virus tests, being fed and having washing done.

"The key thing is making sure there's multiple testing and making sure everyone is safe, including the staff."

Toi Te Ora Public Health (TTO) medical officer of health Dr Phil Shoemack said there was some alternative accommodation for anyone if they can't safely isolate where they usually live.

Toi Te Ora Public Health medical officer of health Dr Phil Shoemack. Photo / File

This included motels, motor lodges and cabins.

He said all options were being considered to increase the alternative accommodation stock.

Shoemack said there are specific infection prevention and control criteria for any premises that are used for alternative accommodation.

Last week, the Government announced a $204.1 million investment into welfare system support for those that get Covid and need to isolate.

New regional Ministry of Social Development Covid-19 welfare teams will co-ordinate social service support for those isolating at home.

The regional teams will work alongside other government agencies, iwi, Māori and community providers to help with housing, food and income support.

Ministry of Social Development regional commissioner Mike Bryant said the ministry told health authorities about the layout of emergency housing in the region, including information about places with shared facilities and single-lift access.

This was to help inform health authorities to decide where people could self-isolate.

He said if someone in emergency housing needed to self-isolate, it was the ministry's job to give welfare support so people could do so safely.

He said it was up to the Ministry of Health (MOH) to decide where was best to place someone and their whānau after testing positive or needing to self-isolate.

This included managed isolation (MIQ) and supported isolation (SIQ) facilities.

He said it would work with its partners, including iwi and local service providers, and other government agencies for a health-led response.