Title
A RESOLUTION supporting efforts for sanitation and hygiene infrastructure for homeless and unsheltered populations.
Body
WHEREAS, insufficient shelter, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure can lead to the spread of infectious diseases, and
WHEREAS, diseases associated with hepatitis A or diarrhea can be transmitted through ingestion of food or water that has been contaminated with the feces of an infected person, and
WHEREAS, diseases can be transmitted between those who do not have access to clean water and hygiene facilities including unsheltered individuals and other vulnerable populations in Seattle and King County, and
WHEREAS, exposure to and consumption of contaminated food and water can infect persons both sheltered and unsheltered, and
WHEREAS, the 2017 Point-in-Time Count counted 11,643 people experiencing homelessness in Seattle and King County, with 5,485 individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness in abandoned buildings, vehicles and tents, and living on the street, and
WHEREAS, enhanced shelters with lower barriers serve more individuals who have higher behavioral health needs and housing barriers than basic shelter, and can provide hygiene services during extended or daytime hours, and
WHEREAS, unsheltered homeless individuals in the absence of appropriate and available shelter and hygiene services disproportionately face adverse effects of public health risks associated with sleeping outside and infrequent showering and laundering clothing, such as body lice, fleas, head lice, scabies and other ectoparasite infestations and bacterial skin infections, and
WHEREAS, sleeping outside and irregular showering and clothing laundering are known risk factors for the increased prevalence of scabies and body lice, and body lice can transmit vector-borne infectious agents that pose serious, long term health consequences for adults, and
WHEREAS, reduced hygiene is a risk factor for bacterial skin infections, including methicillin-resista...

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