COVID-19 Update: Contact Tracing Pilot Program and Jobs, IDES Data Breach, Volunteers Needed
Governor Pritzker provided the frame work for the states contact tracing efforts. A fundamental part of disease control for decades, contact tracing is a basic function of local health departments addressing food borne illnesses, sexually transmitted infections, and other outbreaks. The basis of contact tracing is to track who may have been exposed to the virus in order to catch it early on even while individuals are asymptomatic. A contact tracer interviews an individual after testing positive and asks about their contact with others. The individuals who have been exposed would then be notified that they have been exposed to someone who tested positive (without any names given) so that they are then able to isolate and get tested before spreading further.

This process reduces the number of infections and further controls the rate of spread. In many of our briefings, Dr. Ezike and the Governor have often referenced the “R naught” rate, which is a measure of how many new infections each infected person is responsible for. At the beginning of the outbreak, our R naught number in Illinois was nearly 3.6, meaning each person passed the virus to over 3 people. Due to the precautions we’ve been taking, including the Stay at Home order and wearing facial coverings, our R naught value has been reduced to 1 with a goal of getting down below 0. While state and local health departments have primarily focused on increased our testing capabilities our contact tracing efforts thus far have not been able to keep up. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health only about 29% of our known cases have been able to contact trace and the Governor has stated that he would like to bring that up to 60% which is the industry standard.

The roll out of the contact tracing efforts will be centered on a technology based approach. There are 97 city and county health departments across the state that are now forming part of the contact tracing collaborative, the same initiative headed out of Massachusetts statewide contact tracing efforts . This collaborative will provide a statewide coordinated infrastructure to contact trace the virus. Pillars of this method include disease specific reporting software, a common management platform for all parts of the state to investigate and trace and an app for COVID patients to have an easy point of access to contact their healthcare officials.

Most local health departments have provided updates on what their expansion capabilities are and have submitted plans which will be incorporated into the state’s contact tracing plan. IDPH has already launched a pilot program with two local health departments which have significant needs, in St Clair County and Lake County. These health departments also have an existing capacity to expand their contract tracing efforts. In every region IDPH will support technology software and support the funding of new hires through federal CARES money. Hires will be made locally not through IDPH and compensation will be determined at the local level. Individuals who are interested in applying should complete this form and the interest form will be sent to the respective local health departments.
Testing Information


We now have 251 free testing sites which include the 7 state run drive through testing sites around the state. Markham, Bloomington, Harwood Heights, Aurora, Waukegan and East St. Louis and 6 new testing sites including Little Village, Englewood, Coleman, Anson Park, Gage Park, Bridgeport, Chatham, Champaign, Peoria and Rolling Meadows. You can view a full list of testing sites here .

Last week the White House asked all states to bring testing up to 2% of their population but taking a 7 day average Illinois is now testing 4.7% of our population per month and we will continue to grow our testing. All frontline and essential workers including restaurants, grocery store, pharmacies, gas stations, public utilities, factories, child care and eldercare, home health services, first responders, correctional facility staff, anyone with chronic conditions and anyone who has had contact with a confirmed case have priority access to testing.

The positivity rate across the state is coming down and right now every region is meeting the criteria to move into phase 3 at the end of May. To view the data by region visit the IDPH Restore Illinois site here .
COVID-19 Count as of today:
2,294 new COVID cases, 59 deaths
21,297 tests run in the last 24 hours
4,120 hospitalizations related to COVID-19. Of those,
1,096 in ICU
636 individuals on ventilators


If you have questions related to COVID-19 you can contact the Illinois Department of Public Health :
Hotline : 800-889-3931
Email : dph.sick@illinois.gov

City of Chicago's Department of Public Health :
Hotline : 312-746-4835
Email : coronavirus@chicago.gov
Illinois Department of Employment Security: Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Data Breach
Over the weekend a data breach occurred on the pandemic unemployment assistance web portal. For a limited amount of time confidential information was displayed on the site and the administration was notified immediately. The Department of Employment Security has released the following statement on the incident and we are continuing to monitor the roll out of this program.
Secretary of State: Drive Through Centers Open
Starting tomorrow, the Secretary of State will be opening drive through service options for vehicle sticker renewals at the locations listed below. This change in available services does not impact the previously announced extension of all expiration dates until 90 days after the end of the Stay at Home order, but rather just provides options for people wishing to address expired vehicle stickers.
Stimulus Checks: Call Center Capacity Expanded
The IRS is adding 3,500 telephone representatives to answer  some of the most common questions  about Economic Impact Payments. Answers for most Economic Impact Payment questions are available on the automated message for people who call. Those who need additional assistance at the conclusion of the message will have the option of talking to a telephone representative. The phone number is 800-919-9835. Read the full release here .

Beneficiaries who have their regular monthly payments managed for them by another person, called a representative payee, will begin receiving their payments from the IRS in late May. 
Rogers Park Community Response Team & Care for Real : Volunteers Needed
Community Response Team Needs More Volunteers!

The  Rogers Park Community Response Team  needs our help. We need Hotline Operators (especially bilingual Spanish speakers) and volunteers to help with our phone banking. You’ll have training and support from the fantastic Volunteer Coordinators and Core Team members. You’ll be able to help our community from the safety of your home. Sign up  here!

Care For Real and the United Church of Rogers Park have partnered to provide Rogers Park residents with another option for food assistance during the COVID-19 crisis. They will be using space at the United Church of Rogers Park to host a new food pantry and are looking for volunteers on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Specific duties and more details for each day are listed below.

Every Thursday:

Volunteers should arrive at the United Church of Rogers Park, 1545 West Morse. Shift will run from 8:15 am to 12 pm.  

  • Volunteers must be able to: Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs
  • Stand, bend, and squat for very long periods of time
  • Climb up and down stairs
  • Stock shelves, store and sort food and rotate inventory
  • Pre-pack client bags and carry bags up to 25 lbs per bag for a long distance
  • Work outdoors and assist with unloading food donations
  • Assist with cleaning, maintenance, and upkeep of the facility

Every Tuesday:

Volunteers should arrive at the United Church of Rogers Park, 1545 West Morse. The shift will run from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.

  • Volunteers must be able to: Greet clients/Crowd Control
  • Assist with registration
  • Must be able to lift and carry 30 lb bags for a long distance
  • Stand, bend, and squat for very long periods of time
  • Climb up and down stairs
  • Stock shelves, store and sort food and rotate inventory
  • Pre-pack client bags and carry bags up to 25 lbs per bag for a long distance
  • Run food and keep tables stocked
  • Work outdoors and assist with food donations
  • Assist with cleaning, maintenance and upkeep of facility

Those interested in volunteering should email the Rogers Park Community Response Team volunteer coordinators at  rpcrt.vols@gmail.com . Though this food pantry is separate from the efforts of the Community Response Team, we are assisting them in recruiting volunteers to help feed more of our neighbors. 
Sincerely,

Kelly Cassidy
State Representative, 14th District

Office of State Representative Kelly Cassidy

5533 N Broadway

Chicago IL 60640
773-784-2002(phone)
773-784-2060(fax)