Chicago health officials are offering vaccine doses and checking vaccination statuses after a case of measles was confirmed in a Pilsen migrant shelter, the city's second confirmed case this week.
The building sits in the 25th Ward, represented by Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, who said he was notified of the measles case Thursday night.
Sigcho-Lopez said it was found in a young child who has since recovered and is no longer infectious.
“There is a plan for isolation of anyone who was at risk of exposure, so we contain the spread,” he said.
The Chicago Department of Public Health issued a statement saying it is asking all residents of the shelter to remain in place until it can be determined whether they are vaccinated against the measles and therefore immune to the infectious disease. “Those who have been vaccinated,” it says, “can go about their normal business while those who have not been vaccinated will have to remain indoors to watch for symptoms.”
“I think that they are doing as best as they can,” 40th Ward Ald. Andre Vazquez told NBC Chicago. “It’s obviously not an ideal situation,” he said referring to the open living spaces which could allow the disease to spread.
One resident sent NBC Chicago photos from inside the shelter, showing a table blocking one of the doors and Spanish language flyers being circulated with information about the MMR vaccine used to fight measles.
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Although it once housed 2,500 migrants, Ald. Sigcho-Lopez said the population is now at 1,875 people, including 95 toddlers between the ages of 1 and 2 years old.
“That still exceeds way the capacity of the shelter,” he said.
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Sigcho-Lopez said he will send a letter to Governor JB Pritzker asking the state for more help to expand Chicago Shelters.
Because of the measles diagnosis, Chicago Public Schools advised families at the shelter to keep their school-age children home on Friday.
CDPH said that it has started sending extra shipments of masks and other personal protective equipment to the Pilsen shelter. The city will also provide extra meals for residents who are required to stay in place.
City Council members said their hope is to isolate and contain any cases at the shelter, then move more migrants out into smaller and more permanent living situations.
“We are asking Governor Pritzker today to fulfill his commitment. Help us with the resettlement process that the state has taken on,” Sigcho-Lopez said.
Vazquez said Chicago needs to study the situation at this shelter and others to better understand what could have been done better.
“We need to know what is being done, what’s working and how we can multiply that out,” he said.
