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Isolation centre running smoothly to separate those with mild symptoms

There have been five people in isolation since the centre opened in Chilliwack a week ago
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Evergreen Hall in Chilliwack has been functioning as an isolation facility for shelter residents or street-entrenched who are showing virus symptoms. (Paul Henderson/ The Progress file)

The isolation centre set up inside Evergreen Hall in Chilliwack has seen five people come off the streets, or from the homeless shelters to self-isolate after coming down with virus symptoms.

“Two of those people have since been cleared because they tested negative,” said Cory Buettner of Ruth and Naomi’s Mission (RAN), who runs The Portal shelter.

Every homeless person accepted into the isolation centre since it opened about a week ago has to create “a personal plan” for self-isolation with staff, that details addiction issues, pharmaceutical and medical needs and more.

“They can’t self refer,” he noted.

Referral is done online, through the hospital, or they are referred into the centre by the shelters, RCMP or Griffin Security.”

Everyone through so far has been “awesome” about the following the rules, Buettner said.

It’s Fraser Health officials who determine if self-isolation, or hospitalization is required for each person experiencing homelessness.

“We work out a specific plan for each individual,” Buettner said. “The turnaround time for testing is pretty quick and we can get results in two or three days. It’s very streamlined.”

Those who are accepted into the centre can’t come and go as they please. There is staff on-site 24/7, as well as security personnel.

There are a total of spaces for 24 people with symptoms to self-isolate. Sections are “polyed” off with plastic material for testing, for sleeping, for showers and changing and more.

From online referral to being accepted by Fraser Health officials into the isolation centre happens usually the same day, and can be as little as a couple of hours. They are tested that day as well.

The plan for the isolation centre came together so quickly, “that the system had to catch up,” he said.

It took a couple of weeks of co-ordination, and the single-minded cooperation and leadership of about 37 people to run it, from service providers like RAN, City of Chilliwack, Fraser Health, BC Housing, MCFD, as well as Salvation Army, Cyrus Centre and more.

It’s a testament to how quickly Chilliwack came together as a community to become one of only five such facilities across the Fraser Health region that are set up for self-isolation of those experiencing homelessness.

“We’re getting calls from other communities asking what our process was for getting the isolation centre established. They are trying to replicate it,” Buettner said.

READ MORE: Isolation centre to house the homeless

READ MORE: Community Cares helping Chilliwack during COVID-19 crisis


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Jennifer Feinberg

About the Author: Jennifer Feinberg

I have been a Chilliwack Progress reporter for 20+ years, covering the arts, city hall, as well as Indigenous, and climate change stories.
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