A Las Vegas woman had an empty house. Now she’s using it to help health care workers who need a clean and safe place to stay between shifts.
While COVID-19 is most commonly spread through the air, the virus can live on surfaces. That’s why some health care workers don’t want to go home to their families and put them at risk.
“We have five rooms and we can host six people,” Alona Burns said. “We stocked the house with all supplies needed: coffee, tea, creamer, sugar, water, paper towels, and precious toilet paper.”
Burns is not charging anything. She is welcoming health care workers to stay for as long as they need, even up to a month.
“Whatever is needed,” she said. “If they just need a couple of days to stay here that will work.
This is her way of showing her appreciation. Burns’s last tenant moved out just a few days ago. Since then, she has gotten one guest, an E.R. nurse at a valley hospital.
“Previous three nights, she was sleeping in her car in the parking lot and it was heartbreaking for me to hear,” Burns said.
Superb Maids, a local cleaning service, heard about what Burns is doing. While they said this is the busiest they’ve ever been, they are adding this house to their list for free.
“All the high-touch points will be cleaned on top of just regular cleaning,” Elena LeDoux said. “We’re also going to fog it. It’s the service we offer now with hospital-grade disinfectants. We’re going to do it on a regular basis, as often as it takes.”
“I opened a business which is closed now, but this is my time to give back to my country and I’m very proud I can do it,” Burns said.
Burns will keep the doors open as long as health care workers are fighting the pandemic. She hopes other valley landlords will join her.
“You don’t need much. All you need to do this is a good heart and the desire to help,” she said.
Connect with Burns through this Facebook page.