CONVENTION CENTERS NEEDED TO HELP TREAT COVID-19 PATIENTS

The 75,000-square-foot Tinley Park Convention Center is being considered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to house COVID-19 patients as a way to ease the burden on local hospitals. Photo credit: Wendell Hutson
The 75,000-square-foot Tinley Park Convention Center is being considered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to house COVID-19 patients as a way to ease the burden on local hospitals. Photo credit: Wendell Hutson

Convention Centers Needed To Help Treat COVID-19 Patients

BY WENDELL HUTSON

Contributing Writer

State and federal health officials are seeking to transform convention centers into overflow sites to treat COVID-19 patients and to ease the burden on hospitals running out of beds.

According to the World Health Organization, COVID-19 (coronavirus disease of 2019) is the name of the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and it originated in Wuhan, China in late 2019, but has since spread worldwide affecting more than 1 million people. Symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. The period within which symptoms would appear is two to 14 days.

The McCormick Place Chicago is already being redeveloped for COVID-19 patients and now the 75,000-square-foot Tinley Park Convention Center is the latest site being considered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said Pat Car, assistant village manager and director of the Emergency Management Center for Tinley Park.

“We had a site survey by the Army Corps of Engineers last week, but have heard nothing else from them,” said Carr. “We are in agreement that if the county, state or federal government wants to use the facility to address the current situation, then we will provide them support if requested.”

He added that the Tinley Park Convention Center, 18451 Convention Center Drive, is designated as a shelter facility anyway, so “if they want it, they get it.”

And while the center is being considered as an alternate site, David Niemeyer, village manager said, “there has been no proposals or agreements from either the state or federal government related to the convention center.”

Patrick Bray, a spokesman for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, did not return calls seeking comment.

Like many local municipalities, Tinley Park public buildings are no longer open to the public, and its April 7 village board meeting was held by phone. Residents submitted questions in advance to have board members address them, according to William Brady, a village board trustee.

“This was the first time we held a board meeting by phone so it’s new to all of us, but is necessary during these trying times,” he said.

At the McCormick Place, 500 beds are now available for use and eventually three exhibit halls will house 3,000 COVID-19 patients thanks to $15 million in federal funding.

But convention centers are not the only sites being used to help COVID-19 patients.

Shuttered hospitals like MetroSouth Medical Center in Blue Island are also being transformed into alternative facilities to treat patients showing mild symptoms, and Tinley Park hotel operators have been asked by the Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association to provide rooms for patients and first responders.

“We asked hotels throughout the state to identify if they are interested in doing this,” explained Michael Jacobson, president of the Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association. “We have over 120 hotels throughout the state and 22,000 rooms opening up for this cause.”

Any hotel used for this purpose would be closed to the public “so there’s no comingling of guests,” added Jacobson. “We have hotels in Tinley Park, Matteson, Bridgeview, Orland Park, and Crestwood that have agreed to provide rooms.”

He declined to give hotel names citing patient privacy concerns.

“I’d hate for first responders to arrive at one of these hotels looking to get some rest and the news media is camp outside,” added Jacobson.

Last week, Hotel Essex Chicago, 800 S. Michigan Ave. agreed to provide 274 rooms to first responders to give them a place to rest without having to return home and risk infecting their families.

“It is an honor to provide a sanctuary for first responders of the city of Chicago – those who put their lives on the line every day,” said John Rutledge, founder, president and CEO of Oxford Capital Group, parent of Hotel Essex Chicago. “We’re proud to help the city combat this crisis and allow our brave first responders a safe respite during this crisis.”

He added that rooms at the Essex are available to first responders on a first-come, first-serve basis, and free parking and meals would also be provided.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she was grateful for the help the Essex Hotel is providing the city.

“I want to thank our hotel partners for stepping up once again for Chicago during our hour of need,” she said. “Now is the time for all of us to work together to save lives and get our city back on track.”

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