At the request of the local government, the State of Illinois has activated a pre-staged alternate housing facility in Jefferson County to meet the identified needs of COVID-19. Jefferson County authorities have indicated a recent spike in positive cases of COVID-19, including more than 17-cases linked to a long-term care facility, will require additional resources to help slow the spread of the virus.
Mt. Vernon Mayor John Lewis took to social media yesterday to address the situation saying,
“I received a phone call early this morning from the IEMA Director, Brigadier General Alicia Tate-Nadeau, informing me that a request has been submitted to activate the Drury Inn Motel for housing. She had personally assured me earlier in the week that she would call me directly if there was any change, and she kept her word. This request for activation is working just as promised. The request originated from our county for our people. This IS NOT being activated to bring people in from outside our area. This is a local request to the State for assistance with containment of the virus from an outbreak at the Green Tree Residential Living Center. This request is to allow those employees from Green Tree to have an option to stay at the Drury Inn so as not to affect their families and loved ones. These employees that we are requesting this facility to be activated for have tested negative for the virus.
As a side note, there is nothing nefarious nor any conspiracy being committed in the reporting of the number of cases. The information is released every 24 hours each morning by the health department for ANY positive test results received during the previous 24 hours. These are hard working dedicated members of the medical community who have no other agenda other than to try and manage this situation and keep everyone safe and informed.
Lastly, do your part!!! Follow the CDC recommendations of social distancing, washing your hands, sanitizing and stay at home unless necessary to leave.”
The purpose of an alternate housing facility is to provide a place where people can go to safely isolate or quarantine in order to not expose others in their home. These facilities will allow individuals to remain close to home, near family and his/her healthcare provider of record. However, it is important to note, these facilities are not designed to provide medical care for individuals.
“We are grateful to have an Alternative Housing option for Jefferson County,” said Amy Harrison, Jefferson County Health Department Administrator. “Occasionally when we as the County Health Department place someone under an isolation or quarantine order, it is difficult for that individual to maintain due to the setup of their home or they may have a family member that is vulnerable due to an underlying health condition. This would be a perfect option for either of those situations.”
“The State of Illinois has identified thousands of additional rooms in northern, central and southern Illinois that can be activated once local jurisdictions exhaust the resources they have on hand to meet the needs of their community,” said IEMA Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau. “This concept is truly a collaborative effort between state and local governments to ensure we have all the tools and resources necessary to help our residents, and effectively slow the spread of this deadly virus.”
The local health department is the responsible party for referring individuals to an alternate housing facility. The local health department will screen each individual prior to entry to determine health status and eligibility, monitor the individual throughout the stay, and will determine when an individual can safely return home.
State and local collaboration is key for a successful mitigation of the virus. Additional services are provided at the local level to limit the transmission of the virus. Cleaning services, security detail, facility management, food services are among the items needed to ensure the facility runs safely for all those involved.
There are many agencies involved in the establishment of a state alternate housing facility, including, but not limited to:
Illinois Emergency Management Agency
Illinois Department of Public Health
Illinois Department of Human Services
Illinois National Guard
County Public Health Departments
Local Emergency Management Agencies
Local Law Enforcement
Local Fire Departments
Local/Regional Hospitals
Local Volunteer Organizations
An alternate housing facility is really an extension of a person’s home. Public health experts agree, staying at home and limiting your exposures to others, is the best way to slow the spread of this virus. Additionally, it is recommended that you wash your hands frequently, disinfecting commonly touched surfaces, and maintaining at least a six feet distance from others.
The latest hospital capacity numbers from the Illinois Department of Public Health show 69 percent of intensive care unit beds in Illinois are occupied. Around 42 percent of the state’s ventilators are in use. Of the nearly 31,000 hospital beds, officials say 4,300 are occupied by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients.
