Can you evacuate to a hurricane shelter if you have COVID? Here’s what experts say
Evacuating ahead of a storm is a tough task, and the ongoing surge of COVID-19 makes it even more challenging in what experts are forecasting to be another overactive hurricane season.
Hurricane Ida is already the ninth named storm of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season and is expected to make landfall on the northern Gulf Coast as a possible Category 3 storm this weekend, the National Hurricane Center says.
A hurricane watch is in effect for parts of southeast Louisiana and Mississippi, and mandatory evacuations could be likely as the storm continues to strengthen.
“Unless the track shifts northwest, this could be very bad for us,” Brian Adam, emergency management director for Hancock County, Mississippi, told the Biloxi Sun Herald on Friday. “We can get heavy winds, extensive storm surge and people definitely need to be preparing now.”
Hurricanes and COVID-19
Just like last year, planning for a hurricane undoubtedly looks different due to COVID-19.
The first line of defense, especially in the event of a mandatory evacuation, is to be vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“The risk of COVID-19 in a public disaster shelter is lower for fully vaccinated people,” according to the CDC website. “However, precautions should still be taken, as transmission risk in these settings is higher and likely increases with the number of unvaccinated people present.”
And regardless of vaccination status, shelters along the Gulf Coast will encourage occupants to wear masks.
The American Red Cross will adhere to CDC guidance ahead of Hurricane Ida, the Sun Herald reported. Besides asking shelter guests, employees and volunteers to wear masks, some shelters will also take residents’ temperatures.
“We take this very seriously,” John McFarland, executive director of Red Cross Southeast Mississippi Chapter, told the Sun Herald. “All staff and shelter guests will be asked to be masked and socially distant. If they refuse, we can’t kick them out, but we’ll do our best to keep them segregated from everyone else.”
Shelter residents are also encouraged to social distance and wash their hands to limit the risk of infection, according to the CDC. You should also have your proof of vaccination card.
Before evacuating from home, experts also recommend packing a “go kit” stocked with essentials such as hand sanitizer, bar soap, disinfecting wipes and plenty of face masks. Emergency food, water, clothes and medical supplies should also be in tow.
Consider having food or disaster supplies delivered before you leave, officials say, if possible. In-person shopping should only be done to pick up essential items.
Can I evacuate to a shelter if I have COVID-19?
There is currently no guidance on staying at a public disaster shelter if you’ve tested positive for the coronavirus. However, the CDC says people who have the virus but are asymptomatic can safely be around others no less than 10 days after their first positive test result.
COVID-19 patients with symptoms can be around others 10 days after their symptoms first appeared and have improved, according to the CDC. They must also go a full 24 hours without a fever.
Fully vaccinated people who show no symptoms are not required to isolate or quarantine if they’ve been exposed, the agency said, but should get tested 3-5 days after exposure.
“If you feel sick when you arrive at the shelter or start to feel sick while sheltering, tell shelter staff immediately,” according to the CDC.
This story was originally published August 27, 2021 at 2:58 PM.