Chicago plans to rent thousands of hotel rooms for coronavirus isolation

[frazzled]

The city of Chicago plans to rent thousands of hotel rooms to be used for people diagnosed with the new coronavirus or those who believe they’ve been exposed, in an effort to stop the spread of the virus and relieve the burden on hospitals.

By Tuesday the city will have more than 1,000 rooms in a combined five Chicago hotels available to isolate people who are mildly ill with COVID-19, who fear they’ve been exposed, and for those who are awaiting test results. The city already has an agreement to rent rooms in the 215-room Hotel One Sixty-Six Magnificent Mile, formerly a Cambria hotel.

By the end of this week, there will be more than 2,000 hotel rooms available, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced at a Monday news conference.

In addition to helping on the health care front, the effort will provide a source of revenue and continued employment for the hospitality industry, which has been hobbled by travel restrictions and the growing number of cases. ...

People will be referred to the city-controlled rooms by the Chicago Department of Public Health. Lightfoot’s office said it will secure “competitive rates” of about $175 per night, including three meals, paid for upfront by the city. The city said it plans to seek reimbursement from federal funds and other potential sources.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-coronavirus-chicago-renting-hotel-rooms-20200323-6ciawps5uvdlfm755jqvak5mhm-story.html

[msongs]

1. plenty of empty airplanes available also nt

[frazzled]

2. Not ideal for ill people

They aren’t ideal under normal conditions. But if you have fever, aches, and are gasping for breath, you need a bed. And you need to be in an isolated room so you don’t spread the cooties again among other sick or positive or recovering patients.

I hope that was a joke.