Table 3 Selected quotes emphasized by the co-researchers in the focus group, online platform, or final questionnaire

Interaction with residents

The project team should include people who have already built up trust to the homeless community

Be prepared for multiple languages and guarantee barrier-free communication

Use audio- and video formats for provision of information

Informed consent and sample collection may be influenced by intoxication of residents

It's a nice way to talk to people you didn't know before. Many were happy about the conversation

Willingness for participation

During the cold season, homeless people might have other priorities, consider needs and daily routine of the residents in the planning

Specimen collection

Patience and understanding for repeated instructions are needed

With more flexible times of sample collection, we could have reached more residents

Without assistance, the collection would have not been possible for several residents

Staff and workload

Good and continuous communication among the health workers, social workers and language mediators, as well as supervision was essential

Additional staff is needed due to high workload of monitoring activities

Benefits for residents and staff should be identified and emphasised. The monitoring gave me a feeling of security in the shelter

Ethical considerations

Information on data use and consequences of a positive test result should be transparent

Accept a “no”, take people as they are