Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced on Friday the expansion of testing, new alternate housing options and statewide guidance to address the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on communities of color and people with disabilities across the state.
“Generations of systemic disadvantages in healthcare delivery and healthcare access in communities of color, and black communities in particular, are now amplified in this crisis all across the state and across the nation,” Pritzker said. “We are making sure that our plans reflect equity in access, testing and treatment and we are asking the same of healthcare providers across the state. It’s in moments of crisis that we owe each other even greater expressions of humanity.”
Expansion of testing
A new state-run South Suburban drive-through testing center will open early next week in the Markham-Harvey area.
The testing center will be running hundreds of tests per day, with results coming back to patients faster than the federally-contracted labs.
Testing will be expanded at four Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) on Chicago’s South and West Sides, adding 400 tests per day.
The four FHQCs are Lawndale Christian Health Center, PCC Community Wellness Center, Chicago Family Health Center and Friend Family Health Center. The swabs collected at these four FQHCs will be sent to Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago for testing. FQHCs are community-based health centers that welcome those who are low-income, uninsured or underinsured.
As the state works to get to widespread testing, we ask people who get tested to fill out a basic demographical survey. Approximately 50.9 percent leave a blank response to the question about racial identification, as is their right to do so. As of April 9, the testing data is as follows:
Expansion of alternate housing
Through Illinois’ early crisis preparations, the state required each local jurisdiction to prepare an alternate housing plan to help residents quarantine in a safe space. The state moved quickly to prepare up to 2,000 hotel rooms across Illinois to support that response.
Illinois has facilities throughout the state with rooms that could be ready to be activated next week.
These rooms will be available to residents who tested positive for COVID-19 but do not require hospital-level care or for asymptomatic high-risk individuals who need social distancing as a precautionary measure. These rooms will also be available to medical professionals and first responders.
Residents will be able to access these resources through their local health departments, who play a vital role in assisting the state with our COVID-19 response. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has directed $6.8 million dollars of its COVID-19 response funds to support every health department across the state.
Guidance on non-discrimination in medical treatment for
COVID-19
The state has issued guidance to the healthcare community on their obligations to provide healthcare in an ethical, equitable and nondiscriminatory manner to people of color, people with disabilities, and all Illinoisans.
Healthcare institutions should review their protocols regarding allocation and rationing of limited healthcare resources to ensure that they incorporate the fundamental principles of fairness, equity, and non-discrimination.
Significant legal protections are in place to prohibit discrimination in the delivery of healthcare. These laws provide a mandate to healthcare providers at all times, including during the current COVID-19 crisis.
The guidance provides recommendations for the delivery of appropriate care both during the immediate public health crisis caused by COVID-19 as well as to address the continued impact of the crisis on the healthcare system.