The number one thing people have been asked to do to prevent coronavirus transmission is to wash their hands frequently.

How do you do that if you鈥檙e homeless?

鈥淚t鈥檚 really hard to even find a sink,鈥� said Terry Gregorowich, who is living on 91原创鈥檚 streets.

鈥淚 wash my hands as much as I can, at the shelter,鈥� he noted.

But beyond that, homeless people don鈥檛 have access to bathrooms very often.

That鈥檚 one issue that the local homeless community and front line service workers are facing as the province tries to stem the tide of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

鈥淲arm soap and water is what you really want,鈥� said paramedic Vince Ford, who works with Kimz Angels, a local non-profit that provides food, blankets, and basic supplies to people living on the streets in the area.

In the absence of that, Ford and Kimz Angels founder Kim Snow are providing hand wipes and sanitizer to their clients to help keep them as clean as possible.

Snow said that there鈥檚 a real shortage of places for the homeless to get thoroughly clean in the community.

鈥淲here do they go to do that?鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey have nowhere to go.鈥�

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There are a handful of places the homeless can wash their hands, including overnight at the Salvation Army鈥檚 Gateway of Hope homeless shelter, or during the day at a few alternatives, including some churches, public buildings, and outreach centres.

But there鈥檚 no drop in centre open daily to provide services like showers and laundry, Snow said. It鈥檚 something she鈥檚 been pushing for in 91原创 for some time.

The coronavirus has indirectly caused the temporary closure of some events at the 91原创 Friends Vineyard Church,

Pastor Leith White said the church is closing it鈥檚 Wednesday ministry activities, including its free store for homeless and low income people.

Instead of having a large number of people inside the church, the ministry will be going out to distribute food and goods in other ways.

鈥淭he next 30 days are really key days,鈥� said White.

So far in Canada, there鈥檚 been no case of a homeless person diagnosed with the coronavirus, noted outreach worker Fraser Holland.

鈥淚 am hoping we don鈥檛 have to move past the awareness and prevention stages,鈥� Holland said.

The Canadian Network for the Health and Housing of People Experience Homelessness is collecting resources to help front line workers prepare to respond to an outbreak.

Gregorowich isn鈥檛 too worried about his own health and safety yet, noting that as of Wednesday, there had only been one confirmed death from the coronavirus in B.C.

鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 seem like a big deal, really,鈥� he said.

鈥淎t any time, it could go crazy,鈥� he said a moment later.