Plans to convert part of Chicago’s McCormick Place into an alternate care facility for coronavirus patients are underway and photos inside offer a glimpse at what the space will look like.
According to Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, the first delivery of beds to the facility was made over the weekend. By the end of April, the Army Corps of Engineers and the Illinois National Guard plan to have 3,000 beds available for patients dealing with COVID-19.
Members of the Illinois Air National Guard are seen in images assembling medical equipment Monday. Roughly 30 members of the Illinois Air National Guard were activated to support the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in converting the space for COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms who do not require intensive care in the Chicago area.
The plan for the temporary hospital is to “relieve pressure on the hospital system by freeing up beds for more patients with severe COVID-19 cases,” according to a state press release.
