The government of Australia is planning on moving homeless people into a 5-star hotel in a bid to stop the novel coronavirus from spreading amid the pandemic.
According to the Government of Western Australia, they aim to temporarily relocate homeless people from the streets into Perth’s Pan Pacific hotel as a part of their ‘Hotels with Heart’ mission.
If the trial, which will introduce some twenty homeless people to the five-star hotel for a month, is successful, the idea could be applied on a large scale.
Deluxe Room at Pan Pacific typically costs $170 per night. With lockdown and self-isolation measures imposed, however, the empty rooms could be used to accommodate rough sleepers and reduce the chances of the virus spreading according to the authorities.
“The Hotels with Heart pilot learns from similar initiatives happening interstate and around the world, including in the United Kingdom, America and Canada,” Simone McGurk, Community Services Minister, said of the pilot.
“It demonstrates what can be achieved when there is collaboration across the private, community service and government sectors.”
McGurk has also expressed her gratitude to Pan Pacific Perth and applauded the 5-star hotel for taking the initiative to “potentially help to flatten the curve” of COVID-19 outbreak in the country.
“With the help of community service organizations, this initiative will take the pressure off the health system in Western Australia and potentially help to flatten the curve as the State fights to stop the spread of COVID-19,” she added.
“The Hotels with Heart pilot also aims to sustain our hotel sector for when the COVID‑19 threat is eliminated.”
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Replaced!