CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) – Mayor Lightfoot and the Chicago Department of Public Health announced Wednesday an enhancement of the city’s community-based testing program and long-term citywide testing strategy in response to the second surge of COVID-19.
"In the past two weeks alone, our case rates have surged and more residents have become vulnerable to succumbing to COVID-19 or spreading it someone else who is unable to fight it off," Lightfoot said.
In response to the second surge of COVID-19 and in addition to the Protect Chicago plan that includes a stay-at-home advisory, the city is launching a new and enhanced community-based testing plan.
"Make no mistake, Chicago has and continues to break testing records. As a city we are conducting over 16,000 tests per day, and over a quarter of a millions tests that have been conducted on our static or mobile city-run sites, which are directed into neighborhoods with the highest need...but we can still do more," Lightfoot said. This includes tests performed at CDPH testing centers and those from other providers, including clinical providers, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and pharmacies.
The Mayor said the new plan covers three areas. First, the city is creating its fourth permanent testing site at a parking lot at Midway Airport. Starting Monday, the new site will be operational Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon to 6 p.m., and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
"With this site we listed to the community that wanted more, reliable options on the Southwest Side and wanted weekend availability for the first time," Lightfoot said.
Second, the city announced that it has directed $14 million in grants and other resources to help out community health care centers. The money will be used for contact tracing and to expand testing capabilities in communities. These Foundation Epidemiology Laboratory and Capacity grants, funded through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will provide materials, supplies, equipment and technical assistance to the recipients.
"Our FQACs have been tremendous partners throughout this pandemic all year long. They are vital to our strategy in addressing COVID-19 and they have contributed to making sure that more people at the community level are connected up to care," Lightfoot said. "Our community health centers, which overwhelmingly serve LatinX communities on Northwest and Southwest sides, have played a huge role in making 100 percent accessible testing a reality."
Third, the city is implementing a winterization plan so testing remains viable in the coming months.
As the city prepares for the winter, CDPH has partnered with Curative to implement its winterization plan for testing sites. Curative, a testing company that has worked with the city since May to provide PCR testing at all community-based testing sites, is providing vans for mobile testing, trailers to maintain drive through testing operations, and kiosks to maintain walk up operations. This will allow the city to continue providing critical community testing where it is needed most as the temperature drops.
“Curative is proud to be partnering with the City of Chicago as a crucial COVID-19 testing resource for residents during this pivotal moment in the pandemic,” said Fred Turner, CEO and co-founder of Curative. “Curative’s goal is to make testing more accessible to all, including those most vulnerable, with our easy walk-up kiosks and vans available across the city. Our unique, self-collected oral fluid swab COVID-19 test offers a painless, simple option with quick 24-48-hour results and no cost to patients.”
Additionally, one of the current testing sites will move to a new location in close proximity and in the same zip code. The testing site currently located at Dr. Jorge Prieto Math and Science Academy will be relocated to Charles A. Prosser Career Academy, keeping current hours of operation. All static sites will be provide both drive through and walk up services.
The changes will take effect on Monday, Nov. 23. The new locations and hours of operation will be as follows:
Charles A. Prosser Career Academy
2148 N Long Ave, Chicago, IL 60639
Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Midway Airport, Parking Lot B
5738 W 55th St, Chicago, IL 60638
Tuesday & Thursday, noon-6 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Maria Saucedo Scholastic Academy
2850 W 24th Blvd, Chicago, IL 60623
Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Gately Park
744 E 103rd St, Chicago, IL 60628
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Additional mobile testing units will continue to be deployed every week to areas with high incidence of COVID-19. In response to community feedback, CDPH is working to rotate these sites in more consistent locations, to increase predictability for those communities.
As a reminder, residents who do not have a health provider or medical insurance can use the City of Chicago’s interactive testing map to find a testing site. The map also includes community health centers, where residents can access testing and primary care services, regardless of ability to pay or immigration status.
“The best way to get tested is by calling your health care provider, but there are many other convenient and affordable ways to get tested in Chicago, including new at-home testing services,” said CDPH Commissioner Allison Arwady, MD, MPH. “Additionally, we have partnered with community health centers to ensure that people, regardless of ability to pay, insurance or immigration status, have access to both testing and primary care.”
Testing is currently recommended for: people who have symptoms of COVID-19 such as fever or chills, cough, difficulty breathing, sore throat, muscle or body aches, new loss of taste or smell, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea; people who have been in contact with someone who is ill, especially if it's someone they live with, a friend or a coworker; and people who have recently participated in a high-risk activity, such as attending a large gathering or crowded space.
Testing, while vitally important to the city's COVID-19 response, is only one part of a comprehensive strategy to control the spread of COVID-19. Even more crucial than detecting cases through testing is preventing cases in the first place.
The city encourages residents to protect themselves and their families by staying home as much as possible, avoiding all non-essential travel, and not inviting guests into their homes. Everyone should continue taking every day preventative actions such as keeping six feet distance from others, always wearing a face covering, frequent hand washing and staying home if they’re sick.