Kaiser Permanente pledges $150k to combat COVID in Colorado Springs’ homeless community

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Kaiser Permanente is giving the Community Health Partnership in Colorado Springs $150,000 dollars to help them in their fight against COVID-19 among the homeless population.

The Homeless Isolation Shelter on Kiowa Street in Downtown Colorado Springs is where the majority of homeless people who are symptomatic COVID-19 can get tested or recover from the virus.

Since April, they've had an estimated 130 people come through their doors; 95 of them were tested and 14 of those tests were confirmed positive.

Officials with Community Health Partnership say they're bracing for number to go up come winter.

Of the 14 people who tested positive, only two of them tested positive during summer. The other 12 tested positive between October and November.

In Colorado Springs alone, over 3,000 people experience homelessness during any given month; but the situation could get worse in January when the statewide moratorium on apartment evictions expires.

Officials with the Community Health Partnership say the $150,000 they receive from Kaiser will go toward increased COVID-19 testing, and more flu and pneumonia vaccines for homeless people in Colorado Springs.

The Homeless Isolation Shelter provides help for anyone from the Springs Rescue Mission or Salvation Army showing COVID-19 symptoms.

However, officials with the Community Health Partnership believe some homeless people have avoided shelters all together in fear of the virus spreading within the shelters themselves.

Officials worry that as temperatures continue to drop, some homeless people will die in the cold.