Government
RVs and an Econolodge Become Makeshift Quarantine Zones
As Covid-19 cases climb, cities may face a shortage of locations to quarantine and isolate people. In the U.S., it’s a uniquely local problem.
When coronavirus cases first emerged in Washington state in February, King County officials spent $4.5 million in emergency funds to buy an 85-room Econolodge in the greater Seattle area, throwing another $1.5 million on top for renovations.
As the epicenter of one of the largest outbreaks in the U.S., King County anticipated that its hospitals would likely become overwhelmed with a surge of patients. The county needed to make more space to put sick individuals who would need to be isolated but wouldn’t require hospitalization, and for people who don’t have a home to be isolated or quarantined in — like the homeless or those living in shelters.