Vulnerable Populations at Greater Risk due to COVID and Hurricanes

Hurricane seasons alway pose a risk to vulnerable populations - those living in poverty, with health problems, and without access to transportation. But with the recent pandemic, these populations may be at an even bigger risk. 

To begin with, the ad hoc shelters set up in convention centers and sports arenas will not be able to serve as many people. NPR reports that the Red Cross intends to adhere to new guidelines based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's social distancing standards, which could cut shelter capacity by as much as 60%. Hotels may be a viable alternative, but complications arise - who receives a room? How will hotel owners be compensated? 

Nursing home residents are even more vulnerable to these layered disasters. Because residents are often frail and in bad health, administrators must weigh potential harm from relocation against flooding - and now, potential infection from COVID-19. In addition, nursing homes had already been hotspots for the virus, and workers are stretched thin due to losing workforce from infection and working long hours. This compounds the danger of moving this population, especially when there is no safe alternative location. 

An article from the Union of Concerned Scientists suggests that local governments working with federal entities can help to protect vulnerable populations, noting that federal resources should support the decisions made at a local level about how to evacuate residents.