Study shows usefullness of Hotel-Based COVID-19 Isolation and Quarantine Strategy for Homeless Persons with COVID infections

Hotel-Based COVID-19 Quarantine Strategy for Persons Experiencing Homelessness This cohort study assesses the safety of a hotel-based isolation and quarantine care system and its association with hospital inpatient capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic. JAMANetworkOpen

Key Points

Question  Can persons experiencing homelessness with confirmed or suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and mild to moderate symptoms be safely monitored in designated isolation and quarantine (I/Q) hotels?

Findings  In this cohort study among 1009 I/Q hotel guests referred from hospitals, outpatient settings, and public health surveillance, 81% completed their recommended I/Q course, and only 4% of those transferred from the county hospital required readmission for COVID-19 progression.

Meaning  This study suggests that, during the COVID-19 pandemic, a hotel-based I/Q strategy that delivers integrated medical and behavioral health support to people experiencing homelessness can be done safely outside the hospital setting. ...

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated preexisting structural inequities that place individuals experiencing homelessness and those living in congregate settings and dense households at high risk for infection. San Francisco rapidly scaled a hotel-based I/Q system of care that safely delivered medical and behavioral health support to more than 1000 individuals referred from various health care and community settings while helping to preserve hospital capacity.

Community-informed strategies to improve retention and address behavioral health needs not met by the current I/Q hotel model are priorities as we face subsequent waves of infection.