Leveraging Delaware’s Public Health Resources to Mitigate Spread of Communicable Diseases in Congregate Settings

While resources available to public health entities increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to focus mitigation efforts on Delaware’s most vulnerable citizens was evident. The higher risk of community-spread and complications resulting from COVID-19 associated with individuals residing in congregate settings such as homeless shelters and encampments prompted the Delaware Division of Public Health to leverage existing and new resources to provide technical assistance, education and to build valuable partnerships with community-based homeless service providers to reduce the public health threat to those experiencing homelessness.