HN PHOTOS: An all too common scene…

HYANNIS – A Barnstable Patrolman responded to an all too common call in the downtown area, a report of a man down on the ground…

… but in this case the man was just sleeping and rescue was not needed.

The patrolman explained to the man that he couldn’t sleep in the doorway and would have to move on, suggesting he try the bandstand which has become a de facto overflow shelter for those no longer welcome anywhere else.

This while the COVID-19 crisis rages on, with the Department of Public Health reporting 13,837 confirmed cases within the state of Massachusetts as of Monday afternoon… with a total of 383 confirmed cases here on Cape Cod… and 260 statewide deaths officially attributed to COVID-19 with numbers forcasted to rise significantly in the weeks to come. And while there is hope for most of us who follow the recommended guidelines, preventative concepts like “social distancing” and “sheltering in place” remain nearly impossible for those still living out on the streets.

NOTE: HN has caught wind of initiatives to provide extra accommodations for those especially vulnerable homeless individuals not welcome anywhere else. There are also hotel rooms set aside for those who need to quarantine. Yet the reality remains that some are still out there wandering about.

Advocates for these disenfranchised individuals are asked to email press statements and updated facts regarding the state of the most vulnerable among us to rjbastille@yahoo.com . Please also include suggestions as to how the public may possibly assist in the cause of helping our local homeless.