Catholic Relief Services or CRS joins a network of local, national and international non-profits calling for the protection of homeless, migrant and refugee populations amid the deadly coronavirus pandemic.
In a statement CRN got on Thursday, it said those without a safe shelter to call home around the world, are among the most vulnerable people exposed to COVID-19.
‘People living in precarious situations are at greater risk for disease in normal times and need even more protection now’, said Jennifer Poidatz, Vice President of CRS’ humanitarian response department.
She added that ‘they often lack even the most basic of necessities, including clean water, food and proper sanitation’.
CRS calling for adequate COVID-19 testing is also urgently needed to mitigate the spread and provide treatment.
‘Given the conditions so many men, women and children find themselves in after being displaced from their homes could mean this virus spreading like wildfire through shelters and camps, claiming many more lives and putting many more at risk,’ Poidatz said.
‘CRS teams are racing against the clock to design triage centers for health facilities and temporary centers for isolation,’ she said.
CRS’ Vice President of Humanitarian Response noted that ‘we are also looking at modifications to shelters to allow spaces for quarantine where possible’.