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27th Ward Newsletter
Q & A with Dr. Allison Arwady
Commissioner of Chicago Department of Public Health
June 18, 2020
June 18, 2020
Statement from Mayor Lightfoot on the Supreme Court's Ruling on DACA

Mayor's Press Release

“Today is a great day for our City and our country. I applaud the Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and the millions of young Americans across the country who have only known our country as their home.  

This is a fundamental human rights issue. Today’s ruling has reaffirmed the future for thousands of DACAmented young people and has strengthened the promise of our nation’s bright future that will benefit from their talent, ingenuity, and drive.

Being a welcoming city and nation has made us the great country we are, and our future rests on honoring that heritage and extending it to new generations, just as previous generations did for ours. Here in Chicago, we will always champion the contributions our immigrant and refugee communities have made throughout the life of our city—DACA or otherwise—and continue to make every single day. 

So while we are pleased with this decision, we also call on Congress to act and pass legislation that will provide permanent, stable status to so many of these same neighbors and friends. And so long as I am Mayor, I will continue to do everything I can to support these communities, lift up their stories, and fight to ensure their rightful place in the country we all call home.”

Dear Chicago Residents and Partners,
We recommend and encourage anyone who is feeling sick or has had a recent high-risk exposure to COVID-19 to be tested, which includes participation in protests that have happened throughout the city and country over the past several weeks. We also recommend that all residents continue to self-monitor for symptoms as the City continues to cautiously reopen. Residents should continue to practice social distancing, wearing masks when in congregate or public settings, and practice frequent hand hygiene.
Any Chicago resident should be tested at the early onset of these symptoms:
  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Mild or moderate difficulty breathing
  • Sore throat
  • Muscle aches or body aches
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Nausea or vomiting

If you don’t have any new symptoms, you should get tested if you had a recent high-risk exposure, which includes any of the below:
  • Recent contact to someone who has, or is suspected to have, COVID-19
  • Recent high-risk exposures, including close contact with many other people in a large group gathering or crowd
  • First responders or other essential workers with potential recent exposures
If you’ve been exposed, you should quarantine and avoid public places as much as possible for 14 days after the exposure. If you develop symptoms, it’s important to get tested right away. If you don’t have symptoms, you should wait one week to get tested because COVID-19 tests are not accurate immediately after exposure. Even if the test is negative, you should continue to quarantine for the full 14 days.
Ways to Get Tested:
If you think you might need to be tested, call your doctor. Your doctor will either perform the test at their office or will refer you to a testing site. If you don’t have a health care provider or medical insurance, there are approximately 165 community health centers throughout Chicago, so find one that is close to you at  findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov . Call ahead and they will work with you to coordinate appropriate care.
Additionally, the City has opened six testing sites throughout Chicago that bring testing to communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 global pandemic. All tests at the city testing sites are free and all people regardless of citizenship status can be tested. Residents who are looking to be tested can register on site or online at  ChicagoCovidTesting.com .
The City-run testing sites are open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and are located at:
  • Maria Saucedo Scholastic Academy
  • Horizon Science Academy – Southwest
  • Dr. Jorge Prieto Math & Science Academy
  • Kennedy King College
  • Gately Park
  • Columbus Park
To find additional testing sites near you, see the City of Chicago’s  interactive testing map . The map is being updated frequently and locations are continuously being added. Please note that different testing sites might have different requirements. We recommend calling in advance or checking online first.
Getting tested is the best way to know if you have COVID-19, help keep others safe and prevent further spread. Learn more at  chi.gov/covidtesting .