In order to further relieve clinics, ensure good medical care and improve the situation of isolated patients, the city of Stuttgart is creating over 300 places for accommodation and care as a precautionary measure. The rented buildings are spread over several city districts and are operated by various emergency services on behalf of the city. They can be used by people whose quarantine has been ordered, but who cannot be quarantined in their own homes. Among the first users are refugees and homeless people.
The Mayor for Social Affairs and Integration, Dr. Alexandra Sußmann, explained: “We are creating shelters. They offer sick people a shelter for recovery.” Sußmann continued: “They can be used by people who have to go into domestic isolation as suspected cases, or by patients with a mild course of disease whose quarantine has been ordered, but who cannot be quarantined in their own homes. We can also provide temporary care for patients who do not need hospital care but who cannot be cared for at home.”
The people are accommodated in single rooms in the places and are provided with professional care and food for as long as necessary. Strict quarantine rules apply to them, and compliance with these rules will be monitored. The allocation is made after consultation with the public health department.
The first facility has started operations on Friday, 27 March. The German Red Cross takes care of quarantine cases from the circle of refugees and homeless people in Stuttgart-Mitte. The building offers 34 places. If demand increases, shelters in Stuttgart-Wangen (40 places) and in Stuttgart-Ost (90 places) could be used to house general quarantine cases. Two other buildings offer 165 places.
Thomas Fuhrmann, Mayor for Economic Affairs, Finance and Investments, emphasised: “We have searched intensively for objects that offer patients the best protection. It was important to us that the general conditions and the terms were right. After all, we need flexibility in order to remain capable of acting in the face of rising infections”.
Read more here (in German)
Contact: Claudia Schulcz