New London — He’s been out of work for some time and without a home for the past month, but 54-year-old Steve Zurmuchlen manages to get by.

He has a place to sleep at night and food to eat during the day, thanks in part to services being provided by the New London Homeless Hospitality Center and New London Community Meal Center.

Zurmuchlen does have some lingering concerns about the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, and probably with good reason. He has for the past month been staying with dozens of people at the city’s homeless shelter, a group likely to be more vulnerable to contracting and experiencing complications associated with COVID-19. He’s been asking for a space outside to pitch a tent to sleep.

While space for a tent might not be in the plans, Homeless Hospitality Center Executive Director Cathy Zall said her team, with assistance from community partners, has taken extraordinary steps to ensure the region’s most vulnerable population is safe.

The homeless shelter has set up benches and tables outside to deter people from congregating indoors. Meals — about 60 lunches alone were distributed to the homeless on Wednesday — are being picked up daily at the New London Community Meal Center and delivered to the shelter.

It has helped to cut in half the number of people gathering for lunch and dinner at the meal center on Montauk Avenue, whose dining area is now closed.

Mobile cleaning stations also were set up, and volunteers are spreading the word about proper hygiene and recommended guidelines on social distancing. During inclement weather, the upstairs sleeping area at the shelter is open for people to gather and allow individuals to spread out more than they normally might. Zall additionally is exploring the feasibility of being able to test for COVID-19 on site.

The shelter created seven private rooms last year for people recovering from illness. Zall said those rooms are being used for anyone showing symptoms associated with COVID-19, such as a fever of 100.4 degrees or above. One person is being isolated and monitored at the moment.

Nurses from the Visiting Nurse Association and Community Health Center are on hand during the week to help monitor. Zall said volunteers are following direction of local health officials and call the Yale New Haven Health call center with questions and for over-the-phone screening.

“That’s our first line of defense, having people able to be here and give them an environment where all the necessary precautions can be taken,” Zall said. “I honestly feel we have a pretty good protocol in place.”

If someone refuses to stay, Zall said, “we’re not a prison,” and the person can leave, but notification will be given to city officials for appropriate action. That has yet to happen.

Other groups, such as the Community Meal Center, have followed suit in an attempt to limit close contact by offering the lunches and dinners as takeout. Dozens of people gathered outside the meal center on Wednesday to pick up takeout meals, some sitting on nearby stoops to enjoy their lunch.

Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz joined with Mayor Michael Passero, Human Services Director Jeanne Milstein, School Superintendent Cynthia Ritchie and others at the meal center Wednesday for a firsthand look at the city’s efforts to reach those in need. They all later stopped at Harbor Elementary School for a glimpse at the free school breakfast and lunch distribution. Bysiewicz, in light of the governor’s order to close schools, said she is trying to raise awareness of the program.

“We want to make sure kids that rely on school meals are fed and people that need meals get them,” she said. “We appreciate the leadership our municipal partners have been giving.”

Just one small example of collaboration, Milstein said, is the fact that the meal center, which closed its facility to lunches over the weekend, needs about 800 containers a week in order to hand out the meals. The center serves about 110 meals each at lunch and dinner during the week. The city helped find a funding source to purchase the plastic containers on short notice, and it was the Public Works Department that brought the tables and benches to the homeless shelter.

“It’s a great example of how a community comes together. We roll up our sleeves and do whatever it takes to meet the needs,” Milstein said.

The lingering concern for Zall is the fact that so many more people may be out of work in the coming weeks and months. The number of people applying for unemployment in the state has skyrocketed. The homeless shelter offers a help center for people seeking jobs and in need of resources.

“I feel like it's one of public safety roles, talking to people really thrown into crisis by this whole thing, not only financially but emotionally,” Zall said.

Zall said she is “stunned” by the amount of work being done by the city, Ledge Light Health District, Lawrence + Memorial Hospital and others during the crisis.

Zurmuchlen, standing outside the meal center and asking Bysiewicz questions, said he is doing his part.

“I’m just feeling for these people right here. I’ve been giving food off my plate,” Zurmuchlen said.

g.smith@theday.com