A Erickson doesn't look like your typical homeless person. He was once a counselor for teenagers in trouble. But these days he lives on the streets after falling on hard times. “The toll it takes on a body, physically, psychologically and emotionally, you know, having to get back and forth just to get breakfast, lunch, dinner, clothing, shelter.” Now there is COVID-19. “Not having cleaning agents or disinfectants and spaces in regardless of where it is. I think opens up the potential for people to get the infection. ” 

Erickson is one of nearly 600,000 homeless people in the United States based on the most recent official count. In a pandemic they are at special risk. Of the 527 COVID-19 deaths in Washington, 20 were homeless people. As a group, the risk of death is about double that of the overall population. 

“As folks come in and as we do checks throughout the day. If folks say that they're feeling symptomatic, we'll take them out of the population of the shelters and we'll bring them to one of our isolation and quarantine sites. And we'll test them there. If that comes back positive, then we'll go back and we'll find the close contacts for that person and also ask them to come into our isolation and quarantine as well.”

Around the country, officials had to stop shelters from becoming a breeding ground. “About a couple weeks into the pandemic, people quickly realized that it was spreading inside shelters very very very fast, and a lot of the focus was to do what we call de-concentrate shelters. So they started moving people out of shelters into larger spaces. Some jurisdictions rented arenas and others in hotel rooms. ”

61 year-old Mary Montalvo lives in a nearby park, she gets food and hygiene products from local nonprofits and churches. But a new mask， that is tougher. “They try to give one I'd say every second or third day. But many of the people, we're losing them. Where do you go if you need to wash your hands? That's very difficult. Go inside the church here. But I have some cleanser that I carry in my jacket and I use that.” 

COVID-19 has made it harder for those like Michael Williams who's looking for work. The centers have adopted strict social distancing. “It takes extra long to get services you need because they only allow one person at a time. Without these spaces, it's kind of hard. I'm not able to apply for jobs. I can't get any income. And this is crazy. ” US unemployment is that a staggering 14 percent. 

A Columbia University study projects the homeless population may grow 40 to 45 percent this year. “Iexpect that if unemployment continues to stretch for a long period of time, that we will start to see decreases in rent payments. And we will start to see eviction. ”

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced almost three billion dollars in aid for homeless Americans and those at risk of loosing housing. But that's just temporary. “In the capital, housing is really expensive. And so until we start addressing how to have steady employment that pays closer to the cost of housing, were gonna keep seeing this crisis of homelessness.”

Marry Montalvo has been homeless eight times in 20 years. “There is sufficient money in the United State to help the people who are homeless. It's just the distribution of those moneys. The wealthier are getting wealthier and they're ignoring the poor.” 

For VOA news, Volaki Wana Iglesias, Washington.

1. counselor n. 顾问;（协助学生解决问题的）指导老师

2. disinfectant n. a substance that disinfects 消毒剂；杀菌剂。例如：a strong smell of disinfectant呛人的消毒剂气味

3. symptomatic adj. being a sign of an illness or a problem 作为症状的；（有）症状的。例如：a symptomatic infection有症状感染

4. jurisdiction n. 管辖区域；管辖范围

5. staggering adj. so great, shocking or surprising that it is difficult to believe 令人难以相信的

6. eviction n. 面临着被赶出家门

1. Although Erickson is a homeless person, he was once a counselor for adults in trouble. 

2. According to the most recent official count, there are nearly 600,000 homeless people in the United States. 

3. Of the 527 COVID-19 deaths in Washington, 30 of them were homeless people. 

4. The risk of death of the homeless people is about double that of the overall population. 

5. In the United States, officials had to stop shelters from becoming a breeding ground. 

6. Mary Montalvo lives in a nearby church, she is 61, and she gets food and hygiene products from local nonprofits and churches. 

7. A Columbia University study projects the homeless population may grow 40 to 50 percent this year.

8. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced almost three billion dollars in aid for homeless Americans and those at risk of loosing housing. 

9. Marry Montalvo has been homeless eight times in 20 years. 

10. There is insufficient money in the United State to help the homeless people. 

(F) 1. Although Erickson is a homeless person, he was once a counselor for adults in trouble. （正确表达）Although Erickson is a homeless person, he was once a counselor for teenagers in trouble. 

(T) 2. According to the most recent official count, there are nearly 600,000 homeless people in the United States. 

(F) 3. Of the 527 COVID-19 deaths in Washington, 30 of them were homeless people. （正确表达）Of the 527 COVID-19 deaths in Washington, 20 of them were homeless people. 

(T) 4. The risk of death of the homeless people is about double that of the overall population. 

(T) 5. In the United States, officials had to stop shelters from becoming a breeding ground. 

(F) 6. Mary Montalvo lives in a nearby church, she is 61, and she gets food and hygiene products from local nonprofits and churches. （正确表达） Mary Montalvo lives in a nearby park, she is 61, and she gets food and hygiene products from local nonprofits and churches. 

(F) 7. A Columbia University study projects the homeless population may grow 40 to 50 percent this year. （正确表达） A Columbia University study projects the homeless population may grow 40 to 45 percent this year.

(T) 8. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced almost three billion dollars in aid for homeless Americans and those at risk of loosing housing. 

(T) 9. Marry Montalvo has been homeless eight times in 20 years. 

(F) 10. There is insufficient money in the United State to help the homeless people. （正确表达）There is sufficient money in the United State to help the homeless people.