Committee on Health and Human Relations
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, 34% of COVID Cases and 33% of COVID deaths in Chicago are Latino; and
WHEREAS, 17.3% of all COVID Cases and 38% of all the deaths due to COVID in Chicago are African American; and
WHEREAS, The CDC reports that 94% COVID deaths are those with underlying conditions of High Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Asthma, HIV/AIDS, Obesity, Breast and Prostate Cancer and other underlying conditions that shorten people's lifespan by 20 years; and
WHEREAS, The Black and Brown communities are the highest percentage living with underlying conditions because of historic inequities in health care; and
WHEREAS, The analysis shows that 11% of white Chicago residents have gotten at least one dose of the two-dose regimen of vaccine shots; and
WHEREAS, Just 5% of Black residents and 4% of Latino Chicago residents have gotten at least one dose of the two-dose regimen of vaccine shots; and
WHEREAS, The technology and requirements for vaccine registration has proved to be complex and has filtered out the most vulnerable poor Black and Brown communities from all 3 tiers; and
WHEREAS, The undocumented and mixed status essential workers and those with underlying conditions living in the shadows are not able to meet requirements of proof of work because employers fear they will be fined; and
WHEREAS, Thousands of undocumented and uninsured essential workers, seniors and those with underlying conditions have tried to register and can't meet requirements only to be rejected; and
WHEREAS, thousands of undocumented essential workers have worked, contracted COVID, died, and survived throughout this pandemic while they did not qualify for unemployment, stimulus or resources to quarantine when sick, and deserve and need the vaccine to survive and to stop the spread; and
WHEREAS, The Critical Health Network Vaccination Coalition ("CHNVC") provided extensive testing, PPE, support of food, rent and utilities to thousands of people in the communities with highest number of COVID cases and deaths from Pilsen, Hermosa, Little Village, Humboldt Park, Belmont Cragin, Austin, West Garfield Park, East Garfield Park, North Lawndale, Kenwood, Woodlawn, Englewood, Back of the Yards, Gage park, McKinley Park etc.; and
WHEREAS, CHNVC has a network and credibility with those who are most vulnerable and hard to reach for lack of technology or can't comply with requirements and can navigate them to acquire the vaccines; and
WHEREAS, The organizations involved have a long history of working with the people in their communities with bilingual and bicultural dedicated trained staff and volunteers and have built the trust ofthe people in those neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, 1,500 are pre-registered and list is continuing to grow of seniors, essential workers, undocumented and those with underlying conditions and those hard to reach; and
WHEREAS, Community residents that fit the tiers requirements for the vaccine, our seniors, essential workers and those with underlying conditions have not gotten their vaccines because of language and technology barriers; and
WHEREAS, Our communities of color often work multiple jobs and take on tremendous responsibility with their families which limits their available time to devote to processes that already have language and technology barriers; and
WHEREAS, Our current community navigators also face these same bureaucratic barriers while attempting to assist our families with registration processes online and over the phone; and
WHEREAS, we have witnessed our Latino residents turned away for ID requirements after completing registration and showing up to receive their vaccination; now therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, The City of Chicago shall partner with and significantly fund the CHNVC to develop an extensive, neighborhood based, equitable ongoing vaccination program to reach and insure those most vulnerable and hard to reach of our communities get vaccinated; and
Alderman Roberto Maldonado - 26?h Ward
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, The City of Chicago shall partner with CHNVC to continue to provide testing, screening for underlying conditions, primary care, PPE, food, rent, jobs and job training and basic necessities for the physical and socioeconomic health of our Black and Brown communities.
