In the press: Omicron shuts down shelters After Glass Door's announcement that we would not be able to open shelters this winter, several major media outlets reported on Glass Door's concerns for the overall lack of shelter spaces this winter. Big Issue breaks story Bed spaces in London could be down by around half this winter because of Omicron, warns charity @GlassDoorLondon https://t.co/mWVXG42yot — The Big Issue (@BigIssue) December 11, 2021 The Big Issue were the first to report on the decision and its implications on 9 December. Melissa Kerschen, Glass Door’s head of communications, told reporter Liam Geraghty at The Big Issue: “We have known for a long time that running shelters safely this winter would be a challenge, but the transmissibility of the new Omicron variant and the related changes to self-isolation rules are two new factors that made the decision now unavoidable. “Sleeping on the streets can be deadly in winter, and with so many shelters unable to open, we need to work together to find safe options for people who have nowhere to call home.” Financial Times comments on future uncertainty Robert Wright from the Financial Times then published his story after visiting the Glass Door accommodation project. The 13 December story in the FT recognised the shift away from communal shelters and raised concerns over the lack of long-term gains after the UK's Everyone In policy ended. Homelessness and COVID are still with us, but this time, hotel rooms aren’t as plentiful as last winter. Will govt and the third sector be able to avert the impending housing and public health crisis? https://t.co/rpvl5wpeFm — Glass Door (@GlassDoorLondon) December 13, 2021 Guardian paints bigger picture Sarah Marsh, writing for the Guardian, published a news story on 14 December that also raised the alarm (see "Call for action to prevent deaths as UK homeless shelters shut their doors") Call for action to prevent deaths as UK homeless shelters shut their doors https://t.co/ogTBnV0uz2 — Sarah Marsh (@sloumarsh) December 14, 2021 To help others find routes out of homelessness: Read Glass Door's list of Top Ten Ways to Make a Difference Sign up to Glass Door's Newsletter Manage Cookie Preferences