Salem Coronavirus: Homeless Quarantine At High School

SALEM, MA— The Salem High School field house opened as a new coronavirus quarantine area Monday for homeless people from the North Shore.

"While hundreds of thousands of residents across our three communities have the ability to shelter at home during this crisis, this smaller population of a few dozen individuals do not have that luxury," Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll said. "We have a shared responsibility to both them and to the rest of our constituents to meet this need thoughtfully, compassionately, and cooperatively."

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The initiative is part of a partnership between Salem, Beverly, and Lynn. Residents served by Lifebridge, Riverhouse, and the Lynn Shelter Association will be located at the facility to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus.

"We've all been working together to protect all our residents, including our most vulnerable who live in congregate settings like those housed in our shelters," Beverly Mayor Mike Cahill said. "This space at the Salem High School field house will provide critical protection for our homeless neighbors, allowing those possibly exposed to COVID-19 to self-quarantine in a safe space."

More Coronavirus Coverage On Massachusetts Patch:

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• MA Companies Lay Off 3,700 As Coronavirus Downturn Continues
• Salem Market Basket Worker Dies After Coronavirus Fight

Dave Copeland writes for Patch and can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).