COVID-19 Update: Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program Now Live, Governor's Regional Phase Update
Today was the first day of online access for applicants to the new Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Program. Those interested in applying should follow the Department of Employment Security's instructions to apply for regular state unemployment first, get a denial, and then apply for PUA. This program will provide up to 39 weeks of unemployment benefits to workers who would not usually be eligible for traditional benefits. This includes 1099 employees, independent contractors, gig economy workers, sole proprietors, and self-employed workers. Individuals may also be eligible if:

  • They have been diagnosed with COVID-19
  • Have a member of your household who has been diagnosed with COVID-19
  • Are providing care to a household or family member
  • Have primary caregiving responsibility for a child or other person who is unable to attend school or another facility as a result of COVID-19
  • Are unable to reach the place of employment because you have been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine
  • Were scheduled to start work and do not have a job as a result of COVID-19
  • Have become the major support for a household because the head of household died as a result of COVID-19

These benefits will be backdated to the date of your COVID-19 related job loss and can be retroactive as far back as February 2, 2020.

Individuals applying must first be denied regular state unemployment, and should have their 2019 tax returns uploaded within 21 days of filing for PUA. Other forms of proof of income can also be accepted and details and instructions on how to apply can be found here . Click here to apply. Unlike regular state unemployment, certification of benefits is required every week once you are approved.

Today Governor Pritzker also provided an update on the models used to forecast the spread of the virus and the progress being made in each of the 4 state regions being used to determine the ability to advance to the next phase under the Restore Illinois plan. The models had been predicting the state’s case counts would peak by mid-May, but the effects of the stay at home orders have brought about a longer plateau rather than a peak. The timeframe has been expanded from mid-May into mid-June. Daily case rates, deaths, and hospital capacity data over the course of the last two and a half weeks have been plugged into the model and led to the updated predictions.
 
A later and lower peak is a positive indicator of flattening the curve and a result of a slowdown of the state’s rate of transmission, which leads to a slower rate of increase over a longer period. Under current mitigations, hospital bed and ventilator capacity remains sufficient to treat COVID-19 patients. In other words, Illinois will reach the peak without overloading the state’s health care system as seen in other parts of the world.

All regions except the Northeastern region (which includes Chicago) as of now are set to move into phase 3 at the end of May although One of the key indicators for measuring readiness to advance is the rate of positive test results as we continue to expand our testing capacity. In order for a region to move forward they must be at or below the 20% positivity rate. As of Friday, May 8, the Northeastern region had a positivity rate of 22.3%. The North Central region is at 9.1% positive tests, Central is at 6% and Southern is at 10.5%. All four regions met the third requirement of available surge capacity of at least 14% for ICU beds, medical/surgical beds, and ventilators.
The State has been steadily increasing daily test administration rates and has occasionally been able to exceed 20,000 tests a day. As of May 6, Illinois ranks 2nd of the top 10 most populous states running the most tests and also ranks 5th amongst all 50 states with the most testing sites (244) across the State. Three new drive thru sites are set to be announced later this week.

Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ezike provided updates on the state receiving its first allocation of Remdesivir, a drug approved by the FDA to provide a shorter time to recovery. The US Department of Health and Human Services gave 140 cases of the medication to the state on Saturday and they have been shipped to 14 hospitals across the state. The allocation for the medication was distributed according to a plan that prioritizes hospitals that have seen the most critical patients, those treating communities of color and those with high utilizations rates while ensuring distribution throughout the state. Dr. Ezike made clear that this is just the first shipment and that future shipments will be forthcoming and distributed more broadly.
COVID-19 Count as of today:
1,266 new COVID cases, 54 deaths
12,441 tests run in the last 24 hours
4,319 hospitalizations related to COVID-19. Of those,
1,248 in ICU
730 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
Chicago Update: Plan Launched to Reopen & New Testing Sites Coming Soon
Friday, Mayor Lightfoot launched a plan to layout the framework to reopen the city in accordance with the Governor's reopening strategy. To read the details and full press release click here .

Today the Mayor also announced the city's goal of reaching 10,000 tests per day and announced the opening 10 new testing sites by the end of May.
Confronting Disability Survival During the Covid-19 Pandemic : Guest Piece By Amber Smock,
Director of Advocacy at Access Living
Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, people with disabilities have been on high alert. Not only are many of us at high risk of getting COVID-19 and experiencing its most serious symptoms, a pandemic exposes and amplifies inadequacies in our healthcare and community living systems. Nationwide, disability advocates are fighting to make sure that people with disabilities and seniors are not simply left behind to die.

As a disability advocate in Chicago, where most disabled people are also Black or brown, I know how hard people with disabilities and families have to work to get basic needs met. Every single day is an advocacy campaign: for food, transportation, enough money to live on,  shelter, education, and  respect. Most people with disabilities I know live on a very delicately balanced support system. Some have workers or family members who provide personal care or help with cleaning, laundry and shopping. 

Because of Covid-19, thousands of Chicagoans with disabilities now find their support systems torn apart. Getting food has become ridiculously challenging for many of our neighbors. Some are going without the help they need because Covid-19 is so easily carried by visitors to the home. Some are even holding off on necessary in-person health appointments or procedures such as catheter changes because of fear that medical settings may be dangerous because of the virus. Many are cut off from friends and family they see regularly for mental health support.

The 14th District also has many seniors and people with disabilities who live in nursing homes or assisted living facilities. Right now, many of our neighbors who live in these places, and the workers who are supporting their care, are living in fear for their lives because of the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as being short staffed because wages aren’t adequate. The facilities are on lockdown, some not even allowing anyone to go outside at all. 

Whether you’re a person with a disability or a senior, living in the community or in a congregate setting, you’re facing a crisis. But, it would be a serious mistake to assume that just because we are living through a pandemic, civil rights protections can be weakened. They’re more important than ever, including the right to leave a congregate setting if you choose.

Disability advocates and members of Congress are fighting to secure funds to make sure that disability/senior support workers can get paid fairly during this crisis and have access to PPE. The reality is that our “care system” has serious flaws that must be addressed. Why are workers paid so little, and why is it so easy to put people with disabilities and seniors in nursing homes? Why is it so hard to get people out? Why aren’t we funding community programs so people can live and age in their own homes? Why are we driving all these people into poverty?

A global crisis exposes the cracks in the structure of our lives—and the structure that we have right now isn’t working or treating people as it should. We should be re-thinking how we want live our lives and what kinds of communities are best for the long haul. We all deserve to thrive. ESPECIALLY in a pandemic, we must defend our right to survive.

Amber Smock is the Director of Advocacy at Access Living, a nationally respected disability rights and services organization located in River North. Learn more about Access Living’s work at  www.accessliving.org
Housing and Eviction Notices: Legal Aid Chicago
Due to the Governor's extended Stay At Home Order and the reinstatement of his previous executive orders it is important to note that evictions continue to be banned during this time. Legal Aid Chicago has put together eviction handouts to guide people on their options and their rights when it comes to evictions during this time. Please find the document here or here in Spanish .
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)