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The U.S. Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is a loan that helps businesses keep their workforce employed during the COVID-19 crisis.
It is designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll.
Loan details and application information can be found here:
www.sba.gov
An SBA loan that helps businesses keep their workforce employed during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.
Read Mayor Steve Hagerty's latest message: "COVID-19: Can Evanston Meet the Peak?" lnks.gd/2/Ddb_qJ
COVID-19: Can Evanston Meet the Peak?
As we enter what epidemiologists believe will be the peak month for the COVID-19 pandemic in Illinois, I wanted to share answers to a few questions residents have posed to me recently. These responses have been reviewed and affirmed by the Presidents of both Evanston hospitals – AMITA Health St. Francis and NorthShore University HealthSystem (Evanston Hospital) – and our Public Health Director, Ike Ogbo.
Do our hospitals have enough capacity to care for the sick?
Currently, both hospitals in Evanston have capacity, meaning available beds, including those in their Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
But do they have capacity to meet the peak that is coming this month?
Each hospital is part of a system comprised of multiple hospitals. Within each system, they have a contingency plan to meet increased demand. These contingency plans are reviewed by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). To execute on their respective contingency plans, each hospital leaned forward and cancelled all elective surgeries and procedures, freeing up additional hospital beds and physicians and staff to care for patients with COVID-19, if needed.
Who’s keeping track of available hospital beds in Illinois?
There are 211 hospitals in the State of Illinois. Currently, they are reporting their capacity two times a day to the Illinois Department of Public Health. IDPH is aggregating that information and working with the Governor’s Office and IL Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) to determine whether temporary Alternative Care Facilities need to be established and, if so, where.
Will Alternative Care Facilities be needed in Illinois?
Yes. According to a new study by the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Illinois will currently run out of ICU beds by April 6 and the shortage will last three weeks, peaking at more than 500 unavailable beds. These shortages will vary by hospital and region. IDPH and local hospitals are working together to expand ICU capacity within existing hospitals.
Where will the Alternative Care Facilities be located and who will be sent to these facilities?
IEMA, in conjunction with IDPH and the Governor’s Office, select the locations for temporary Alternative Care Facilities. So far, three sites have been selected in the Chicagoland region – McCormick Place (3,000 beds), Metro South Center (500 beds) in Blue Island, and Sherman Hospital (230 beds) in Elgin. A fourth site is expected to be announced in the coming days, bringing the total number of additional Alternative Care Facility beds to over 4,000. The intent of these sites is to handle patients with low to mild acuity, freeing up our hospitals to serve those with more severe cases of COVID-19.
Why haven’t we set up an Alternative Care Facility in Evanston?
Due to the COVID-19 projections and current capacity in the Evanston area, the State has not yet identified Evanston as an area in need of an Alternative Care Facility. However, City staff and community partners are in regular communication with our state counterparts and are leaning forward should that change.
But what if I get COVID-19 and need hospitalization?
Based on your condition, your medical provider will determine where to hospitalize you. The State has indicated that patients will initially go to an established hospital prior to any reassignment to an Alternative Care Facility.
Enough about hospitals. What percent of people in Evanston have tested positive for COVID-19?
As of today, 103 residents of Evanston have confirmed cases of COVID-19. Presumably, more people have it in the community – hence the reason we must all practice strict social distancing – but we don’t know exactly how many people in Evanston might be carrying the virus. Currently, we do not have exact data for how many Evanstonians have been tested.
But that information must exist, why can’t we know it?
You’re right, the information does exist. However, IDPH, which gets that information from all the hospitals and testing sites, is not providing this information to the local health departments at this time, due to other higher priorities. Additionally, even if they could, it might present us with a false sense of security at this early stage if it’s declining.
What can I do to support our frontline health care workers?
Be all in for Illinois. Stay home! Only leave when it’s essential! And never congregate in a group outside of your immediate family unit. Our health care workers, first responders, essential workers and congregate home workers are showing great courage every day. We need everyone else to do their part and comply with the Governor’s Stay-at-Home Order and practice strict social distancing. Your actions can help keep everyone safe.
As always, I value deeply the contribution each of you are making to slow the spread and save lives. I want us all to look back on our lives many years from now profoundly satisfied that we did all we could to flatten the curve so more wonderful people in our community and country can live to enjoy it.
Sincerely,
Mayor Stephen Hagerty
covid19.healthdata.org
Explore hospital bed use, need for intensive care beds, and ventilator use due to COVID-19 based on projected deaths for all 50 US states and District of ColumbiaMargarete Neal
Are you All In for Illinois? Join Governor JB Pritzker and the City of Evanston in making a commitment to stay home to help keep our health care professionals, first responders, grocery store workers and so many others safe. Take the pledge to be All In! #allinillinois #StayHomeSaveLives
www.enjoyillinois.com
“We’re making a commitment to stay home because we’re All In for Illinois — for our neighbors and grandparents, our health care professio...While it's important to stay home as much as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic, grocery shopping is still essential. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has put together a guide to help you stay safe and healthy while grocery shopping.
Where do we get sanitizing wipes? No store has any!
Do you know how many of the infected are health care workers? Can you project how many actual cases we likely have, based on how many confirmed cases we have — assuming there are people who are carrying but not tested.
Evanston serves as a channel between northern suburbs and Chicago. So it may be at a greater. Any precautions.
Does the city have designated quarantine sites?
do we have to wash the packaging that our groceries come in?
Watching
Do your part to support your community by taking the "All In Illinois" pledge to stay home and stay safe! Together we can slow the spread. #AllinIlinois
www.enjoyillinois.com
“We’re making a commitment to stay home because we’re All In for Illinois — for our neighbors and grandparents, our health care professio...Stay home and save lives, even when it's nice outside ☀️. If you must go outside for an essential activity or exercise, remember to practice social distancing of at least six feet.
Thank you Feast & Imbibe and Soul & Smoke for the amazing work you are doing during this crisis! Purchase a meal for yourself or someone in need at soul-smoke-by-feast-imbibe.myshopify.com/
Evanston catering company delivering more than 250 meals a day during coronavirus pandemic
www.chicagotribune.com
An Evanston couple is using their catering business to feed neighbors in Evanston and Chicago.
