The new field hospital will be Illinois’ first and is scheduled to open April 24.
IL will transform Chicago’s convention center, McCormick Place, into a field hospital by the end of April. As many as 500 beds could be available as soon as next week, according to The Chicago Tribune. “We’re not waiting for the worse. We’re preparing ourselves for the worse,” Gov J.B. Pritzker said March 28 in a press briefing. The new hospital is being built to prepare for a possible surge in new coronavirus cases in the coming weeks.
With the number of events recently canceled at McCormick Place, renovating it into a field hospital transforms an otherwise empty building into a vital resource for Illinois coronavirus patients. Similar field hospitals are being built across the nation, such as the hospital ship that docked in New York’s harbor today.
Unfortunately, Chicago has become a hot spot for the virus with 4,596 cases as of publication, another reason for the rapid McCormick Place renovation. The new hospital will be able to treat 3,000 patients, split up by the level of care required. This will hopefully lessen the strain on current hospitals, many of which are running out of PPE equipment.
The state of IL is still under a mandatory stay-at-home order. Residents are being asked to practice social distancing, wash their hands regularly, limit time outside to essential activities, and to avoid crowded areas. Visit the Illinois Public Health Department and/or the CDC’s website for more information.
Feature photo: Shutterstock.