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. 2020 Jun 9;135(4):435–441. doi: 10.1177/0033354920936227

Table.

Components of the original and adapted COVID-19 response model for people experiencing homelessness in Boston, 2020

Venue Type Original Model (first 3 weeks) Adapted Model (week 4 and later)
Pop-up COVID-19 testing sites

  • Format: booth or portable tent

  • Staffing: 1 health care provider, 1 nonclinical staff member

  • PPE: N95 respirator, face shield, gown, gloves

 Format, staffing, and PPE unchanged
Isolation site for symptomatic people while COVID-19 test is pending

  • Format: constructed 16-bed tent with internal partitions, negative airflow, bed-specific portable toilets

  • Staffing: 2 health care providers, 2 nurses, 2 nonclinical staff members

  • PPE: N95 respirator, face shield, gown, gloves

  • Format: expanded to 36 beds by repurposing quarantine tent

  • Staffing and PPE unchanged
Isolation sites for management of people with confirmed COVID-19 Site 1:

  • Format: 17-bed unit in brick-and-mortar medical respite facility

  • Staffing: 1 health care provider, 2 nurses

  • PPE: N95 respirator, face shield, gown, gloves

  • Format: expanded to 52 beds

  • Staffing: 4 health care providers, 4 nurses

  • PPE unchanged
Site 2:

  • Format: 84 beds in reopened decommissioned health care facility

  • Staffing: 1 health care provider, 2 nurses, 1 nonclinical staff member per 40-44 beds

  • PPE: N95 respirator, face shield, gown, gloves
Site 3:

  • Format: 120 beds in reopened segment of decommissioned hospital

  • Staffing: 2 nurses, 3 nonclinical staff members per 60 beds; 1 health care provider per 120 beds

  • PPE: N95 respirator, face shield, gown, gloves
Site 4:

  • Format: 500-bed field hospital in Boston Convention and Exhibition Center

  • Staffing: 1 health care provider, 1 nurse, 1 medical assistant, and 1 nonclinical staff member per 50 beds; behavioral health clinician available for crisis consultation

  • PPE: N95 respirator, face shield, gown, gloves
Quarantine site for COVID-exposed people without symptoms

  • Format: constructed 18-bed tent with internal partitions, shared toilets

  • Staffing: 1 health care provider, 1 nurse, 2 nonclinical staff members

  • PPE: surgical mask and gloves; N95 respirator for aerosolizing procedures only

  • Format: repurposed as second isolation tent for symptomatic people with pending COVID-19 tests

  • Staffing and PPE: changed to reflect isolation tent standards

Abbreviations: COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019; PPE, personal protective equipment.

aData source: Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program.