Gov. J.B. Pritzker and health officials announced Monday that Illinois’ known coronavirus case count climbed by 461, including another eight deaths. The state has now recorded 5,057 known cases of COVID-19, which includes 73 deaths.
At his daily press briefing, Pritzker also announced that a COVID-19 field hospital at McCormick Place will have 500 beds available by the end of the week. The alternate care facility will hold 3,000 beds for patients, mostly with mild symptoms who do not require intensive care, the governor said. Construction began on the sprawling convention center over the weekend.
Additionally, Chicago Public Schools’ hundreds of thousands of students will receive daily learning activities as part of a new remote learning plan that is due to start on April 13, the Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office announced Monday. Officials have laid out a goal of delivering 100,000 electronic devices to its neediest students.
As the virus continues to spread, the Tribune is keeping a running list of Chicago-area closings and cancellations, tracking cases across the state and asking experts to answer your questions about COVID-19. We also are memorializing those who have died in the Chicago area.
Here are the latest updates Monday on the new coronavirus in the Chicago area and Illinois:
8:20 p.m.: Some Instacart workers strike over coronavirus demands; company says operations unaffected
Logan Square resident Jessica Wolfe planned to order coffee, cheese and water from Costco via Instacart this week, but held off to support workers for the grocery delivery service who are striking over lack of safety gear and hazard pay amid the coronavirus outbreak.
“I’m just going to wait a week and see what happens because there’s nothing in that order that I need” right now, Wolfe said. “If I do desperately need something between now and then, there are grocery stores within walking distance that I can go to.”
Services like Instacart are becoming more popular nationwide as people avoid trips to the grocery store during the COVID-19 pandemic, but delivery drivers like Chicago-area resident Matthew Telles say Instacart isn’t paying them enough, or doing enough to keep them safe from the virus.
Instacart workers announced their demands last week, which include free hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes or sprays and soap; an extra $5 per order; higher minimum tip amounts; and more financial support for workers affected by the virus. Read more here. —Tracy Swartz
7:25 p.m.: Lightfoot launches humorous ‘stay home, save lives’ PSAs
The city of Chicago has launched a series of lighthearted public service announcements starring Mayor Lori Lightfoot to encourage residents to stay home amid the coronavirus crisis.
The videos are running days after Lightfoot shut down the Lakefront Trail and admonished Chicago residents who flouted Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home order. City officials are launching the videos as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Illinois climbed to more than 5,000 on Monday, with 73 reported deaths. Read more here. —Gregory Pratt
7:04 p.m.: Cook County chief judge extends court slowdown through May 18
A countywide court slowdown has been extended through May 18, and all court matters should be conducted via video no later than mid-April in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19, according to an order signed Monday by Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans.
In addition, three branch courts in Chicago will shut down completely, and the emergency hearings usually held there will instead be heard in the county’s main criminal courthouse.
Evans considered closing the five suburban courthouses as well, but after seeking advice from experts was advised that keeping court operations somewhat decentralized would better help prevent the virus’ spread, according to a news release from Evans’ office.
Bond hearings at the Leighton Criminal Court Building are already heard via videoconference and on occasion in the courtrooms that were opened for emergency hearings. Evans’ new order mandates that by April 16 all hearings will be conducted by video or teleconference “to the extent reasonably possible.”
And the current grand jurors — who usually are summoned for terms of about a month — will see their terms extended to May 15. No new grand juries will be seated until mid-May.
Evan’s initial order took effect about two weeks ago and postponed nearly all civil and criminal court hearings until mid-April. Monday’s order means that courts will not go back to normal until at least mid-May. —Megan Crepeau
6:56 p.m.: New rapid coronavirus test from Abbott is a ‘huge step forward,’ but still not enough to meet the need
The new rapid coronavirus test from a Chicago-area medical device company is “a game changer,” but even the promised production of tens of thousands of units a day will not make it possible to test people at the frequency many experts say is needed in the fight against COVID-19.
Abbott Laboratories late Friday announced a new test that produces results in minutes, not days, and said it would start shipping the tests out this week as it ramps up to producing 50,000 a day. On Monday, company officials said the first batch of 50,000 tests would go out Wednesday, based on priorities set by the federal government. Read more here. —Hal Dardick
6:46 p.m.: 7 residents at Carol Stream nursing facility test positive
Seven residents at the Covenant Living at Windsor Park retirement community have tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus, according to a letter sent to residents of the Carol Stream facility and their relatives.
Covenant Living spokesman Randy Eilts told the Tribune via email, “Any of the residents experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19 were isolated from others and transferred to local hospitals last week on various days, where they were tested and eventually diagnosed.”
The seven cases include an unspecified number of hospital patients who had been “discharged to our skilled nursing for additional care,” Eilts said. The others were existing residents. Read more here. —Phil Thompson
6:37 p.m.: Skokie couple who immigrated from Ukraine die hours apart after contracting coronavirus
A Skokie couple who immigrated decades ago from Ukraine to begin a new life together in America have died, just hours apart, both infected by the coronavirus.
Feliks Ogorodnik, 88, and his wife, Luiza, 84, died Saturday at Glenbrook Hospital in Glenview.
They are the first married couple in Illinois whom authorities publicly identified to have died during the pandemic from causes related to the disease.
They came to the United States from Ukraine more than 20 years ago after one of their daughters met and fell in love with an American. Both became citizens and worked hard to learn English and experience the traditions and culture of their new home, the family said. Read more here. —Christy Gutowski
6:03 p.m.: Coronavirus resources for your community: List of maps and dashboards for local Chicago-area counties
As the communities across Illinois grapple with the spread of the coronavirus, there’s a growing list of government sites that feature local data on the outbreak.
The Tribune is tracking statewide cases here, including how the outbreak has grown over time, which counties are most affected and some demographic data. We’re also remembering those who lost their lives from coronavirus. If you know someone, you can get in touch with us here.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the data available from local officials:
Illinois: The state posts information daily on overall cases and tests as well as a map and list of county information. The state updates its data each afternoon around 2:30 p.m.
Chicago: The Chicago Department of Public Health posts a breakdown of deaths and confirmed cases by age and sex. The page also lists the number of Chicago residents with coronavirus who needed to be hospitalized. See it here.
Suburban Cook: The Cook County Department of Public Health posts data detailing coronavirus cases by age, race, sex and severity. It also has an interactive map of towns where cases are concentrated. See it here. The suburban Cook data excludes Chicago (link above), Evanston (data on number of cases here), Oak Park (daily status report here), Skokie (cases and age range here) and Stickney (details on its response, but no data here).
DuPage: DuPage County’s dashboard has details on the number of cases by age, sex and town. A map shows concentration of cases by town. See it here.
Kane: Kane County Health Department updates its dashboard daily at 4:30 p.m. and shows cases by age, region and sex. It also has a map that shows cases by municipality. See it here.
Kendall: The county’s website has an updating list of resources and information from the state but no breakdown of cases. See it here.
Lake: The Lake County Health Department is counting the number of confirmed cases and features an interactive map that shows the number of cases in each municipality. See it here.
McHenry: The county is posting the number of cases and deaths. See it here.
Will: The county has a dashboard that keeps track of number of deaths and confirmed cases. See it here.
—Jonathon Berlin
5:59 p.m.: Testing continues after infant who tested positive for coronavirus dies
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office is conducting additional testing on an infant who state and city public health officials say contracted COVID-19 and died last week. The testing could conclude within days, said Natalia Derevyanny, a spokeswoman for the medical examiner. Read more here. —Annie Sweeney
5:59 p.m.: Lake County coroner brings in refrigerated semi-trailer for potential coronavirus deaths
A refrigerated semi-trailer sits outside the Lake County Coroner’s Office, a grim reminder that the county could see many more deaths from the novel coronavirus in the weeks and months ahead.
Coroner Howard Cooper said he hopes his office doesn’t have to use the trailer — which still needs to be outfitted with racks to maximize its storage space — but he wants to be prepared just in case. Read more here. —Emily K. Coleman
5:50 p.m.: Pritzker says he asked Trump for more N95 masks — but instead received 300,000 surgical masks
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Monday the state was sorting through a shipment of masks received from the federal government, but there appear to be problems.
This wasn’t what “the White House personally told me would be sent to our state,” he said at a daily news briefing.
Last week, Pritzker said he spoke to President Donald Trump directly about Illinois’ needs for masks and ventilators, and he later got word that the federal government would be sending 300 ventilators and 300,000 more N95 masks to Illinois.
“While we do not have a final count on this yet, I can say with certainty that what they sent were not the N95 masks that were promised, but instead were surgical masks, which is not what we asked for,” Pritzker said.
The most recent federal shipment “still pales in comparison to our requests” and appears smaller than two previous shipments to the state, Pritzker said.
Pritzker’s administration has made “significant acquisitions” of personal protective equipment through other means. Pritzker expects that by the end of the week the state will have received 5.5 million N95 masks and nearly 5.6 million surgical masks from state-executive contracts, with more on the way beyond that, he said.
The state has also received over 5 million units of donated personal protective equipment and other supplies, including masks, gowns and gloves, Pritzker said. —Jamie Munks
5:42 p.m.: Rations, masks and reminders to keep your distance. This is the brave new world of pandemic shopping.
One week after Illinois’ stay at home order went into effect, Chicago-area stores are no longer thronged with shoppers anxiously piling carts with toilet paper, canned beans and bottled water.
Instead, a new reality is setting in. Conveniences like 24-hour shopping, free samples and self-service food bars have been abandoned, while policies rationing items as basic as toilet paper have become standard. Signs advising shoppers to give fellow customers space are common, as is the sight of employees sanitizing carts with disinfectant.
Customers over the weekend remained patient even in the face of lines or out-of-stock items. Some were downright helpful, directing fellow shoppers to the last remaining rolls of toilet paper. But more had donned masks and gloves, and few were idly browsing.
With federal recommendations to practice social distancing to slow the spread of the new coronavirus now in place through April 30, the Tribune visited a dozen stores to see what the new normal looks like. Shoppers and retailers alike are adjusting to a new idea: what if taking care of the customer means encouraging them to keep their distance? Read more here. —Lauren Zumbach
5:25 p.m.: Airbnb to extend guests’ refund window, help cover hosts’ cancellation costs
Airbnb is pushing back the window for guests to get a full cash refund on reservations impacted by the coronavirus pandemic through the end of May, and the company is pledging to pay $250 million to its hosts to help cover the cost of these cancellations.
The new measures were rolled out Monday by the home-sharing and rental site that’s recently won praise from many of its guests for instituting liberal refund policies while simultaneously angering some of its hosts. The latter said they felt blindsided by the company’s move in mid-March to override hosts’ individual cancellation policies and issue blanket refunds on stays with check-in dates between March 14 and April 14.
With April 14 fast approaching and the pandemic showing no signs of stopping, guests and hosts alike have been wondering what, if anything, Airbnb would do next.
Co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky was expected to send an email to hosts early Monday evening explaining what steps the company is taking to appease both sides.
The updated policy says that guests who made reservations prior to March 14 for stays that begin anytime on or before May 31 can cancel their reservations and get their money back if they can’t travel because of COVID-19 for various reasons, including statewide stay-at-home orders, closed borders, and canceled flights. The burden of proof is expected to be lower if guests want to cancel an Airbnb stay during that timeframe and accept a travel credit rather than cash back. Read more here. —Lori Rackl
4:54 p.m.: 7 deaths from coronavirus confirmed in Kane County
The Kane County Coroner’s Office has confirmed seven deaths related to the coronavirus in the county and released details about where the residents live.
In Aurora, a 97-year-old man died on March 23 and a 96-year-old man died on March 27. In Elgin, a 91-year-old man died on March 27, a 71-year-old man died on March 25 and a 74-year-old man from Elgin died March 26. In South Elgin, a 40-year-old man died March 27. From Huntley, an 88-year-old man died March 20.
The coroner’s office said they were not releasing the names out of respect to the individuals’ families. Read more here. —Megan Jones
4:49 p.m.: 5th resident of Willowbrook nursing home dies of coronavirus-related illness
A fifth resident of a Willowbrook nursing home has died from coronavirus-related illness, according to DuPage County health officials, who Monday announced that the overall county death toll has risen from seven to nine and that the total number of known cases has risen by 44.
The most recent death of a resident of the Chateau Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Willowbrook was a woman in her 70s with underlying conditions, according to a news release from the DuPage County Health Department. The other recent death in the county was a man in his 60s, also with underlying conditions who had been “living in the community,” as opposed to a care facility. Read more here.
4:29 p.m.: Lightfoot’s executive order gives her power to juggle city’s coronavirus-related spending without City Council approval
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has created a new section in the city’s 2020 budget to consolidate coronavirus expenses and give her the ability to eventually move money around to cover the costs without needing City Council say-so.
It’s part of the extraordinary powers the mayor has granted herself to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more here. —John Byrne
4:27 p.m.: Man uses coronavirus as scam to get inside Western Springs woman’s house and steal jewelry
A man used the coronavirus as a scam to get inside Western Springs woman’s house and steal jewelry, police authorities said.
The Western Springs police report a man wearing a reflective vest went to the front door of a home on the 1300 block of Oak Street at about 3:30 p.m. Friday. He told the elderly resident he was a plumber and he needed to check the water because several people in the area had become ill with COVID-19 from the water supply.
He told the woman to go down to the basement to check the water, which she did. Another person then entered the house and stole jewelry, worth several thousands of dollars, police authorities said. Read more here. —Kimberly Fornek
4:20 p.m.: Elgin’s former Sherman Hospital on Center Street to be converted into COVID-19 patient facility
The state of Illinois and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plan to convert the former Sherman Hospital in Elgin into a temporary facility for COVID-19 patients, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Monday.
Sherman, located at 934 Center St., is one of two former hospital sites the governor announced are being prepared for coronavirus patients should an increase in cases require more medial car space. The other is MetroSouth Hospital, a shuttered medical facility in Blue Island.
Work is underway to convert McCormick Place in Chicago into a COVID-19 field hospital, which should have 500 beds available by the end of the week and hundreds more over the coming weeks, officials said. Read more here. —Rafael Guerrero
4:18 p.m.: DuPage reports fifth coronavirus death at Willowbrook nursing home
A fifth resident of a Willowbrook nursing home has died from coronavirus-related illness, according to DuPage County health officials, who Monday announced that the overall county death toll has risen from 7 to 9 and that the total number of known cases has risen by 44.
The most recent death of a resident of the Chateau Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Willowbrook was a woman in her 70s with underlying conditions, according to a news release from the DuPage County Health Department. The other recent death in the county was a man in his 60s, also with underlying conditions who had been “living in the community,” as opposed to a care facility.
The county announced that the number of known cases rose from 275 on Sunday to 319 as of 11 a.m. Monday.
3:51 p.m.: All Chicago jury trials canceled until June
Chicago’s chief federal court judge on Monday canceled all jury trials until at least June, saying the ongoing threat of the coronavirus pandemic has rendered the jury system “difficult or unsafe.”
In her 10-page order, U.S. District Chief Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer said any criminal or civil jury trials that had been set for April or May should be rescheduled after June 1. Bench trials, in criminal cases — where the judge decides guilt or innocence instead of a jury — were canceled until at least May 4, according to the order. In court plea hearings or sentencings are also off until at least May 4, although parties could agree to hold a hearing via teleconference where feasible.
Pallmeyer’s order extends the near total-shutdown of in-court proceedings at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse and the satellite courthouse in Rockford that was first put in place on March 17. The original order had been scheduled to last through next week.
Although the courthouse at 219 S. Dearborn St. remains open, hearings are being conducted on an emergency basis only and the clerk’s office is closed to the public. —Jason Meisner
3:51 p.m.: More than 800 Chicago Police Department employees out sick Monday
About 6% of the entire Chicago Police Department was on sick leave on Monday as the COVID-19 pandemic continued to have an impact on city operations.
More than 800 Chicago police employees — most of them sworn officers, though some civilians as well — were out sick with wide-ranging ailments, but the increased numbers also were likely due to employees who took time off for precautionary measures due to the coronavirus, CPD officials said.
The department has more than 13,000 sworn cops and several hundred more civilian employees.
So far, 49 Chicago police officers have tested positive for the coronavirus. Only a handful have had to be hospitalized, but at least one was reported in critical condition, Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said Monday.
“And the rule that we have here is if you are near somebody who was positive and you’re symptomatic then you are automatically put on sick leave, on the medical,” Guglielmi said. Read more here. —Jeremy Gorner
3:34 p.m.: Feds say threat of coronavirus no reason to grant R. Kelly bond
Federal prosecutors in New York say the threat of coronavirus spreading in the country’s jails and prisons is no reason to grant bond to singer R. Kelly as he awaits trial on sexual abuse allegations.
Lawyers for Kelly, who has been held without bond since his arrest in on federal charges in July, argued in a court filing last week that social distancing practices recommended by U.S. health officials “are simply impossible” in the close quarters of the Metropolitan Correctional Center, Chicago’s high-rise federal jail in the Loop.
In response, prosecutors wrote in a motion filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn that Kelly, 53, is not old enough to be considered at elevated risk and has no underlying health issues that would put him ahead of other inmates who might seek release.
Prosecutors also noted that the crimes Kelly is accused of make his release particularly problematic. —Jason Meisner
3:13 p.m.: Employee of Cook County State’s Attorney’s office tests positive
An employee of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office has tested positive for COVID-19 — the first confirmed diagnosis within that office, according to a news release Monday.
The employee works in the Domestic Violence Courthouse in the South Loop, and last reported to work on Tuesday. All employees of the state’s attorney’s office who work in that building have been advised to stay home for 14 days. The offices were deep-cleaned on Wednesday, according to the news release; the deep cleaning was unrelated to the infected employee.
Other segments of the county criminal justice system have seen more confirmed infections. Nine sheriff’s office employees had tested positive as of Friday, and three employees of the Chief Judge’s office had been diagnosed as of Thursday.
Meanwhile, a Cook County special grand jury headquartered at the county’s main criminal courthouse has been largely disbanded after possible COVID-19 exposure from a suburban police officer, a spokeswoman for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office confirmed.
Prosecutors who worked in that area have been instructed to self-isolate.
The special grand jury convenes separately from the regular grand jury and usually deals with a specialized set of cases. The regular grand jury, which meets in a different part of the Leighton Criminal Court Building, continues to operate.
Grand juries were deemed essential under an order that paused the vast majority of county court proceedings in an attempt to slow the disease’s spread.
In addition, Cook County public defenders were notified recently that an employee of their office had tested positive for the virus. The employee had worked in three separate courthouses across the county over the course of one week, and last reported to work on March 12, according to an internal email obtained by the Tribune.
Meanwhile, eight employees of the Circuit Clerk’s office have been diagnosed with COVID-19 as of Saturday, the Tribune has learned. —Megan Crepeau
3:02 p.m.: Pritzker activates another 115 members of the National Guard
Gov. J.B. Pritkzer has activated another 115 members of the National Guard to deal with the coronavirus crisis, including more than two dozen airmen help build an emergency medical facility at McCormick Place that could handle an expected crush of COVID-19 cases in the area.
The latest call-up means the governor has activated 360 Guard members during the pandemic, including more than 100 working at a testing site in the Dunning neighborhood on the Northwest Side. The guard has another 20 full-time members working on coronavirus issues, as well.
The Army Corps of Engineers is working to convert part of the giant lakefront convention center into a 3,000-bed hospital for coronavirus patients. The Illinois Guard joined the effort Monday, sending 30 airmen to the site to work as general laborers.
Pritzker said 500 beds are expected to be ready there in the coming week.
In addition to work at McCormick Place, the Guard has sent 25 soldiers from a Chicago-based unit to assist county emergency management operation centers in Cook, Lake, McHenry, Kane, DuPage and Will counties.
Their duties will include gathering information and reporting that data to the medical operations branch of the state’s Emergency Operations Center in Springfield.
“The Illinois National Guard continues to play a vital role in the whole-of-government effort to control the spread of this deadly virus. We provide the state unique capabilities attained from both our military training and our civilian occupations,” said Brig. Gen. Richard Neely, the Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard. —Stacy St. Clair
3:01 p.m.: Lightfoot called on the city’s residents to volunteer their time
Mayor Lori Lightfoot called on the city’s residents to volunteer their time and help respond to the coronavirus crisis. The city particularly needs doctors, people with medical experience, and health care administrators, as well as people who can deliver food and offer child care.
Residents can find ways to volunteer at Chicago.gov/coronavirus, she said.
“Your city needs you,” Lightfoot said.
Echoing a point made by Chicago Public Health commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady earlier in the day, Lightfoot said the state’s coronavirus numbers are doubling roughly every four days.
The city needs to lower the growth rate, Lightfoot said.
“None of this will have the impact we need unless our residents stay home,” Lightfoot said.If the public doesn’t abide by Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stay at home order, Lightfoot said, there could be more than 40,000 hospitalizations in Chicago – a number she previously said would break the health system. —Gregory Pratt
2:58 p.m.: Lightfoot on the challenges — for her, first lady and daughter — with school out, perhaps indefinitely
Mayor Lori Lightfoot talked about life as the parent of a pre-teen who, like thousands of kids across the city and state, is out of school with classes canceled and schools shuttered amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Initially, the mayor said she even made a little political joke with her daughter Vivian when earlier this month Pritzker announced schools were closing statewide to curb the spread of the disease.
“Well, when the word came down that schools were going to close, I kidded Viv and asked if she had lobbied the governor because she’s adopted the term ‘chillaxing,'” the mayor said.
“Her school is pretty rigorous,” Lightfoot said, noting that her daughter’s teacher emails a daily video complete with homework assignments that must be turned in.
Lightfoot said “it’s a lot” and credited her wife for “managing most of this.” That includes making a to-do list off that email and mixing it with limited “screen time” and video chatting with friends.
“It’s challenging, there’s no question about it … all of our children are used to a certain rhythm and cadence with their classmates which you can’t simulate through the virtual means available,” she said.
They’re trying to do “creative” things as family, including playing a favorite dominoes game and her daughter has her own pursuits. —Lisa Donovan
2:45 p.m.: 461 new known cases and 8 additional deaths reported today
Illinois’ known coronavirus case count climbed by 461, including another eight deaths, officials announced Monday.
The state now has recorded 5,057 known cases of COVID-19, which includes 73 deaths.
Among the deaths reported Monday is an incarcerated man from Stateville Correctional Center. There are now 12 men who were incarcerated at Stateville who are hospitalized. Another 77 incarcerated people are isolated at the facility, and 11 staff members are also isolated.
Four of the eight deaths reported Monday were in Cook County, two were from Will County and there was one from each DuPage and Kendall counties. The coronavirus cases are now spread across 52 counties.
State Department of Corrections staff who work with individuals who are in isolation, quarantine or in health centers are wearing full personal protective equipment, and other staff members are wearing some equipment. Staff members’ temperatures are being checked daily as they enter the facility to report for work.
Correctional centers with a confirmed case are placed on lockdown, while incarcerated individuals who show symptoms are being tested. —Jamie Munks
2:35 p.m.: Pritzker discusses McCormick Place COVID-19 field hospital
The McCormick Place COVID-19 field hospital will have 500 beds available by the end of the week, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Monday.
The alternate care facility will hold 3,000 beds for patients, mostly with mild symptoms who do not require intensive care, the governor said.
“Based on science, data, and the guidance of health experts, our approach to fighting this virus is two-pronged: suppress the spread and increase hospital capacity to meet the need,” Pritzker said. “A critical component of increasing our capacity is identifying and building out additional facilities across the state to support our existing hospitals and healthcare system.”
Construction began on the sprawling convention center over the weekend and will continue throughout the month. The work is being led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, with help from Illinois National Guard members. —Stacy St. Clair
2:09 p.m.: COVID-19 testing facility for Chicago police officers opened Monday in the South Loop
Another COVID-19 testing facility for Chicago police officers opened Monday in the South Loop as the pandemic continues to roil the city and the nation.
The Loop Medical Center now offers testing for officers to ease the long lines at another testing facility on the Northwest Side, one that has been a major hub for Chicago cops and other first responders.
The health center, at 1921 S. Michigan Ave., also has extra protective equipment for officers such as homemade masks, hand sanitzers, and disposable gloves, all of which were provided by Bank the Blue, a nonprofit organization that advocates for the mental health of police officers and plans to provide education about policing and criminal law to Chicago’s neighborhoods.
“Supplies are low. Supplies are in demand as far as safety products for law enforcement and all first responders, for that matter,” said Chicago police Sgt. Anthony Varchetto, who also has a security company called Blue Star that works with Bank the Blue.
“The department is doing a good job and they’re really trying to provide these resources as best that they can for us,” he said. “The problem is there’s just high a demand for them now.”
Dr. Nidal Elbaridi, who works at the health center, said there are now extended hours available for Chicago cops during the week and weekends if they want to get tested for COVID-19 instead of having to wait in long lines at hospitals or other testing facilities.
He said that not all officers would be able to get testing. It depends on their symptoms and if they’re known to be exposed to someone with the disease.
“Based on the sound medicine guidelines by the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and Illinois Department of Public Health) we will administer testing appropriately,” Elbaridi said. “The first line of defense is quarantining.”
Varchetto also acknowledged the uncertain times right now for police officers in the field.
“It’s scary. It is,” he said. “Because I’ve been a police officer for 20 years. And we’re used to dealing with just about everything and we face these things head on. Unfortunately with this virus, this is something … it’s an unknown.” —Jeremy Gorner
1:59 p.m.: Mayor Lori Lightfoot comments on ‘Where’s Lightfoot’ memes: ‘I love them’
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has seen the Internet memes that depict her enforcing the state’s stay-at-home order and clearing citizens from the public way.
The images, some of which are collected on the “Where’s Lightfoot?” Instagram page, show Chicago’s mayor blocking the city’s lakefront trail and popping up in unexpected places as part of the anti-coronavirus campaign.
One particularly popular image shows a stern-looking Lightfoot in Georges Seurat’s “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” painting, which she clears with a mean look.
“I think this is a really difficult time. People are afraid. The stress levels are high. In any difficult time, I think we’ve got to have a sense of balance. Humor is a big part of it. I’ve actually enjoyed them,” Lightfoot said at an unrelated news conference. “We’ve acted out a few in my household at night, which I’ll keep to myself. But I think what it shows is the creativity of people in the city and in the region that despite these dire circumstances, and this virus is deadly serious, that we can also see a lighter side of life.”
She added: “I love them.”
Last week, Lightfoot also told the Tribune she’s a fan of a viral video showing Italian mayors yelling at citizens for not obeying public health orders, including one who threatens to send police to crash graduation parties with a flamethrower.
“I’ve watched it probably 15 times and I’ve sent it around to a lot of people,” Lightfoot said last week, in an interview about the city’s coronavirus preparations. “I feel their pain, I definitely do.” Read more here. —Gregory Pratt
1:42 p.m.: OPRF High School staff donates 20,000 gloves, goggles to hospitals serving COVID-19 patients
When she put out a call for donations of personal protective equipment on social medial, Oak Park resident Evie Kavinsky had no idea it would be met so quickly, and in such a big way.
Kavinsky, whose husband Clifford works as a cardiologist at Rush University Medical Center, heard of a need for protective eyewear from a number of healthcare worker friends and colleagues who are treating COVID-19 patients. This led her to ask for PPE donations through a Facebook post on March 23.
“They said they were trying to find goggles online from hardware stores, but they were sold out,” Kavinsky said. “I heard some institutions were changing their guidelines on who needs eyewear due to the shortage. I sense there’s a lot of attention for the need for gloves and masks, but the need for protective eyewear isn’t getting as much attention. I contacted several hospitals and Rush got back to me saying there was a need.” Read more here.
1:22 p.m.: Pastor at Calvary Church Naperville dies after testing positive for coronavirus last week
A pastor with Calvary Church Naperville who last week tested positive for the coronavirus and was subsequently hospitalized with pneumonia has died, according to a message from the church’s lead pastor.
“It saddens my heart to tell you that Pastor Angel Escamilla has passed away from this life. I know that we prayed for his earthly healing in hopes that he would remain with us. Our prayers were not in vain, as they turned our hearts toward the hope we place in heaven,” the email from Lead Pastor Marty Sloan reads.
Angel Escamilla, who was in his late 60s, was confirmed to have COVID-19 on March 24 and was subsequently hospitalized with pneumonia, according to a Facebook post from the church. Escamilla was the assistant pastor for Calvary Español, whose mission is “helping the Hispanic community connect faith with life to establish or improve their relationship with Christ.”
Sloan said he found Escamilla “a man of strong faith in the Lord.”
“If anyone ever spoke into the heavens in prayer, it was Pastor Angel. He will be forever missed on our team and in the church family,” Sloan said. Read more here.
1:15 p.m.: Coronavirus pandemic leads to extension of Chicago Police Department reform deadlines
The coronavirus pandemic is slowing the court-overseen process of reforming the Chicago Police Department.
U.S District Judge Robert Dow Jr. has granted the city’s request for an extension of deadlines in the consent decree, a broad court order mandating changes to training, policy, supervision and discipline for the troubled department over the next five years.
“Addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and its ripple effects has become the top priority for the city and CPD,” the city’s lawyers wrote. Read more here.
12:28 p.m.: CPS officials say goal is to deliver 100,000 electronic devices to its neediest students
Chicago Public Schools indicated its plans will include both digital and non-digital learning materials for students, and officials have laid out a goal of delivering 100,000 electronic devices to its neediest students. About 37,000 devices have been purchased recently and another 65,000 school-based devices are to be moved into students’ homes. Read more here. —Hannah Leone
12:16 p.m.: Illinois puts a hold on vehicle repossessions
Illinois will suspend the repossession of vehicles for the duration of the state’s disaster proclamation under an executive order from Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
Pritzker’s order cited lost wages and widespread financial strain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic as reasons for the pause. The executive order also said that “the repossession of vehicles in contrary to the interest of preserving public health and ensuring that individuals are able to engage in permitted travel while limiting their use of public transportation and maintaining social distancing.”
Vehicle repossession typically occurs when individuals miss payments on an automobile lease or loan. Pritzker’s executive order, issued Saturday, stipulates that the moratorium on vehicle repossession does not relieve individuals of their debts or other obligations articulated in loan agreements. —Antonia Ayres-Brown
12:13 p.m.: Trump approves upfront funding for Illinois National Guard
President Donald Trump on Monday approved Illinois’ request for upfront federal funding for state National Guard members who have been activated to help in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump’s actions came almost a week after the state’s two U.S. senators and its 18-member U.S. House delegation asked the White House to approve Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s request for funding assistance.
Specifically, Trump authorized the federal spending under what’s known as Title 32. It provides for upfront federal funding for the Guard’s work. Guard units activated in New York, California, Washington and several other states previously received the Title 32 funding designation.
The order Trump issued on Monday allows for federal payment for guard units activated in Illinois, Michigan and Connecticut.
In their letter to Defense Secretary Mark Esper last week, the Illinois delegation said, “Governors, along with their adjutants general, need more of these men and women now, and we must not let accounting gimmicks get in the way.” Read more here.
12:09 p.m.: Chicago alderman raising money to pay for first responders’ meals
Southwest Side Ald. Matt O’Shea has raised more than $42,000 on GoFundMe for meals that will be given to front line medical workers at local hospitals, as well as on-duty Chicago cops and firefighters working in his first responder-heavy ward.
O’Shea, 19th, launched the campaign on March 19 with the Original Pancake House.
“These men and women are working hard each day to combat COVID-19 while providing care to those who are suffering,” O’Shea wrote on the GoFundMe. “This is a small gesture of appreciation for all they do. The 19th Ward is also raising money to expand this effort providing more meals and support more local businesses.”
O’Shea also tweeted Monday that they provided “a pancake breakfast to 225 medical workers at OSF Little Company of Mary Hospital and this evening we are delivering sub sandwiches to 220 medical workers at Advocate Christ Hospital.” —Gregory Pratt
11:47 a.m.: West Loop yoga studio closed after city says it is not an essential business under stay-at-home order
A West Loop yoga studio has been issued a violation notice after the city disagreed with its contention that it was a place of “health and wellness” and therefore could remain open as an essential business under the state’s safe-at-home order.
The action on Friday came after several people complained online and to their alderman about Bikram Yoga West Loop studio at 611 W. Adams St., concerned that the close quarters and the nature of its hot yoga classes would further spread the coronavirus. Read more here.
11:45 a.m.: CPS announces remote learning plan to start April 13
Chicago Public Schools’ hundreds of thousands of students will receive daily learning activities as part of a new remote learning plan that is due to start on April 13, the mayor’s office announced Monday.
The move comes after Illinois education officials issued new guidelines late Friday, indicating schools should more to formal e-learning on Tuesday but that classroom instruction days lost to the coronavirus pandemic will not have to be made up.
CPS spring break starts April 6, and will be allowed a planning day next week but said families should hear directly from their children’s schools by April 6.
Learning materials will be both digital and nondigital for students who may lack access. Teachers will be directly available to students for academic support and will keep virtual office hours for communication with students and families, officials said. Read more here. —Hannah Leone
11:42 a.m.: Chicago’s public health commissioner says hospitals saw weekend spike in well baby visits after infant death
On her daily “Ask the Doc” webcast, Chicago Public Health commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said the state’s coronavirus numbers are doubling roughly every four days. That could be worse, but in Seattle, they’re doubling every eight days.
Arwady also said that, after a baby died of COVID-19 over the weekend, hospitals reported a spike in families bringing healthy babies to get looked at. Arwady said the heightened concern is understandable, but it’s not good to bring in babies who don’t have coronavirus symptoms.
Officials have said that they are still investigating the infant’s cause of death. —Gregory Pratt
11:32 a.m.: Great America pushes off park opening at least until mid-May
Six Flags Great America officials announced Monday the park is suspending its park opening due to coronavirus concerns until mid-May “or as soon as possible thereafter,” according to a news release.
Season pass holders for the Gurnee amusement park will have their passes extended for the number of days the park has been closed. Other members will receive an additional month added for each month the park is closed and a membership upgrade for the 2020 season.
Officials said there have been no reported cases of COVID-19 at the property. For more information, check the park’s website. —Jessica Villagomez
11:24 a.m.: Lori Lightfoot memes are giving Chicago a laugh during coronavirus
Amid a global pandemic, Chicagoans find ways to laugh. Homeowners decorated like it’s Christmas again, high-rise residents lit up their windows and there is an abundance of neighborhood sing-alongs.
But it’s hard for any of them to top the unbounded joy found in Mayor Lori Lightfoot memes. Read more here.
10:04 a.m.: Rent freeze not possible while state ban remains intact, city says as Chicagoans prepare for rent strike amid coronavirus pandemic
Wednesday, April 1, is a looming deadline for many who have found themselves out of work due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Rent will be due for thousands of Chicagoans, the first major test of their finances since Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a statewide stay-at-home order that left many unable to work, and others forced to choose between making a living and avoiding exposure by staying home.
Theodore Bourget, 23, lost both of his jobs, at a bar and a University of Chicago performance venue, because of the outbreak. Now without any source of income, he and his partner are struggling to afford their Hyde Park apartment.
“It was beyond stressful,” Bourget said. “We were just operating at a level where panic wasn’t even an option anymore.”
Chicagoans like Bourget are joining a growing call for a rent strike, both locally and nationwide. From Andersonville to Beverly, from Hyde Park to Humboldt Park, residents are working together to pressure rental companies and landlords into forgoing rent charges or evictions until things return to normal. Read more here. —Ariel Cheung
9:33 a.m.: Here’s what to do before that coronavirus stimulus check arrives
The coronavirus pandemic has upended the lives and finances of millions. A federal relief package aiming to provide payments to distressed consumers passed Friday — but that money is not likely to land for a number of weeks.
While you’ll have to wait for whatever money you might be eligible for, now is the time to prep your finances and plan. Read more here. —Associated Press
8:58 a.m.: Coronavirus could cause health insurance premiums to spike up to 40 percent next year
With so much still uncertain about how widespread hospitalizations for coronavirus patients will be around the United States, a new analysis says premiums could increase as much as 40% next year if the pandemic results in millions of Americans needing hospital stays.
“Health plans went into 2020 with no hint of coronavirus on the horizon,” said Peter V. Lee, executive director of Covered California, which conducted the analysis.
Lee supports a temporary federal program that would cover some of these costs.
“No insurer, no state, planned and put money away for something of this significance,” he said. Read more here. —The New York Times
7:40 a.m.: Aurora’s police chief tested positive for the coronavirus. ‘It snuck up on us,’ she says.
Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman said it is ironic how she and Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin may have contracted the coronavirus — during a meeting to discuss how to stop it from spreading.
Both the mayor and police chief of the state’s second-largest city tested positive for COVID-19 recently, making them among the first city leaders in the west suburbs publicly known to have the virus.
During the onset of the pandemic weeks ago, the police chief’s conference room was dubbed the COVID-19 battle room. Several meetings were held inside with the city’s top officials and the police department’s command staff to devise a plan for keeping officers and professional staff safe and working during the outbreak.
New protocols were devised from stopping police roll calls to avoid officers gathering in one room to sending half of the detective bureau to work from home. But during those meetings, Ziman said they did not realize they were possibly exposing one another and doing the exact opposite of the social distancing they were asking the public to do.
“It snuck up on us,” Ziman said. Read more here. —Megan Jones
6:45 a.m.: Chicago Public Schools, City Colleges to debut new e-learning strategies
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, CPS chief Dr. Janice K. Jackson and City Colleges of Chicago Chancellor Juan Salgado were scheduled to announce new remote learning plans for Chicago students Monday afternoon at City Hall. Details weren’t immediately released. —Chicago Tribune staff
6:30 a.m.: Overnight Chicago during the pandemic: ‘The only things open were drive-thru windows, liquor stores and laundromats, the last stands of normalcy’
All around the city, laundromats were open.
People carried in baskets of dirty clothes and tooled around on their phones until the dryer buzzed. They folded shirts and pants. A night in Chicago.
No crush of late-nighters at diners, no stumbling crowds outside nightclubs. The only things open were drive-thru windows, liquor stores and those laundromats, the last stands of normalcy.
Of course, the violence didn’t shut down either.
A man had been killed the night before in Bridgeport, on a block off 31st Street. It’s close to the Deering police station where reporters typically position themselves on overnights to wait for calls. It’s not an area that sees a lot of fatal shootings. Read more here. — Paige Fry
6:20 a.m.: Chicagoans traveling to Texas must quarantine for 14 days, or risk jail
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday said airline passengers arriving from Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, Detroit or anywhere from California or Washington state must quarantine for 14 days, or risk jail time if they don’t comply.
Texas, which has more than 2,500 cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, and at least 34 related deaths, also ratcheted up restrictions on neighboring Louisiana, one of the growing hot spots for coronavirus in the U.S. —Associated Press
6:00 a.m.: Illinois colleges still trying to lure new students despite uncertainty
Illinois colleges, despite the uncertainty over when classes will resume due to the coronavirus pandemic, continue to court prospective students, in some cases revising admissions deadlines and rolling out virtual tours to help high school seniors decide where to attend.
Since visits scheduled for spring break and upcoming events for admitted students have all been canceled, many schools are posting scenic videos of their campuses online with accompanying narration.
The University of Illinois at Chicago, the city’s largest school with enrollment topping 33,000, pushed back its deadline for high school seniors to commit from May 1 to June 1. Read more here. —Elyssa Cherney
5 a.m.: A war like no other: Inside the Illinois National Guard’s unprecedented coronavirus mission
Pfc. Sabine Gonzalez and other members of the Illinois National Guard are fighting a war unlike any the Guard has ever waged.
They’re deployed at an old vehicle emissions testing facility in the Dunning neighborhood, where roughly 115 Guard members spent the past week testing first responders and health care workers for COVID-19. Their service has been in such high demand that the site has reached its 250-patient daily limit within just a few hours each day.
It’s the first time the Illinois National Guard has been mobilized to primarily combat a medical issue. By necessity, much of the typical military protocol has been turned on its head. To keep the coronavirus at bay, the troops do not sleep near each other on cots, eat in large groups or spend much time together outside their shifts unless it’s necessary. Read more here. —Stacy St. Clair
Breaking coronavirus news
Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.
Sunday, March 29
Here’s a recap of coronavirus updates in the Chicago area and Illinois from Sunday:
As Illinois health officials announced 18 new known deaths and 1,105 new cases of the coronavirus, Gov. J.B. Pritzker warned that the upward curve is likely to continue for weeks.
The coronavirus has prompted a crackdown on crowds in Cook County forest preserves — and more closures possible if public doesn’t comply
COVID-19 has mostly spared small-town Illinois. That could change soon.
Two Cubs game-day employees who attended a March 8 training session at Wrigley Field have tested positive
Saturday, March 28
Here’s a recap of coronavirus updates in the Chicago area and Illinois from Saturday:
Gov. J.B. Pritzker reported 13 more deaths linked to the coronavirus in Illinois, including the stunning loss of an infant. It was announced Sunday that the child was 9 months old.
Illinois health officials also confirmed 465 new cases of the coronavirus in the state
McCormick Place will be converted into Illinois’ first field hospital to handle 3,000 coronavirus patients, officials said.
Citing the need to ensure the safety of its guests and staff, the One Off Hospitality Group announced it will curtail carryout and delivery service for its restaurants
