About 540 homeless Minnesotans in Hennepin County are moving to hotels from shelters due to age or underlying health problems to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus). They've been moved into four different local hotels to get them out of the cramped quarters of shelters, according to the Star Tribune.

At the start of the pandemic, in early March, shelters began to add social distancing rules where they were able and screened everyone for fever before they entered. Now that the Coronavirus pandemic has ramped up, this isn't enough anymore, especially for those with underlying health conditions.

County officials touched on the cost aspect of moving these Minnesotans to hotels. The Star Tribune says that county officials say that "the cost of leasing hotel rooms is a fraction of the potential expense of treating dozens of homeless people in area hospitals and intensive care units if a broad outbreak occurred within the shelter system."

According to state health officials, there are 41 residents of homeless shelters statewide who have tested positive for Coronavirus.

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