EASTYOUR LOCAL SOURCE FORCHICAGO EAST CHICAGO NEWS AND EVENTS life EAST CHICAGO STRONGER TOGETHER Expanded healthcare team will navigate pandemic while looking beyond COVID-19 As we tackle the challenges posed by Covid-19, I am pleased to announce we have a new health team in place to more effectively meet the health- care needs of East Chicago. Led by Health Director Diana Garcia-Burns, STAY HEALTHY. a nurse practitioner who returns to STAY HOME. us with a wealth of emergency and STOP THE SPREAD. community health experience, the new team includes a soon-to-be-an- Mayor Anthony Copeland welcomes Health LIGHT UP YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. HELP REDUCE CRIME. East Chicago nounced full-time community health is committed Director Diana Burns, right, to the team. Learn nurse. Together, with Health Officer more about the changes coming to the city’s to keeping you Dr. Gerri Browning, they will help us health department on Page 3. [Steve Segura photo] safe during this curb the spread of this deadly virus. extraordinary be easy, our city is better positioned health crisis. SAFETY & PROTECTION than most to move forward. Because Please stay A reminder, we continue to keep city cash reserves were built over the last home to help buildings closed to the public and decade, East Chicago is in the envi- stop the spread provide all workers with personal able position of having money to pay of coronavirus protective equipment — masks, gog- our bills this year with no threat of ONLY 60 LIGHTS AVAILABLE. and continue gles, gloves and gowns — along with layoffs in 2020. hand sanitizers in every city vehicle to practice safe STRONGER THAN BEFORE social distancing and inside all public buildings. While when shopping we encourage everyone in the city to Make no mistake: There will be try- or enjoying the wear face masks when they must go ing days ahead. You can be confident outdoors. out for essential travel, appropriate we are prepared to emerge from this momentary pause even stronger than East Chicago, protective gear is mandatory for all we were before. we are stronger city personnel. together! WHAT’S NEXT? Get the latest I am hearing from you about con- updates, data, cerns about next steps, how East DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, MAY 29 demograhics and Chicago will recover and rebuild its more online at economy. I want you to rest easy. ANTHONY COPELAND eastchicago.com. While the coming months will not Mayor City of East Chicago EASTCHICAGO.COM MAY 2020 EAST CHICAGO STRONGER TOGETHER Table 1 KEEPING OURApril 15 RESIDENTS47 INFORMED April 16 50 April 17 52 120 April 20 73 AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND LATINO EAST CHICAGO COVID-19 CASES AprilTable 21 1 74 GROUPS HIT HARDEST BY COVID-19April 22 77 The90 number of positive Covid-19 cases in East April 23 80 Chicago has more than doubled since mid-April. As Health Officer for the City of EastApril 15Chicago, 47 April 24 96 It’s imperative we continue to stay I feel obligated to address the risingApril 16numbers 50 home to flatten the curve. 60 121 of African Americans who are dyingApril from 17 52 117 Get the latest updates at 114 114 116 coronavirus infections. April 20 73 eastchicago.comApril 15 April 16 April. 17 April 20 April 21 April 22 April 23 April 24 Because of health disparities, a cityApril like 21 East 74 96 30 Chicago is a likely target due to itsApril large 22 77 80 April 23 80 90 74 77 Latino and African-American communities.Table 1-1 73 April 24 96 These minority groups 80 April 27 114 April 1552April 16 April 17 April 20 April 21 April 22 April 23 April 24 April 27 tend to suffer from90 2 50 4770 obesity, hypertension,80 3 asthma and diabetes70 8 60 mellitus, among other 90 Table60 1-1 16 50 chronic diseases, which 80 50 21 make them more 30 9030 29 vulnerable and more 70 80 3 20 13 20 likely to die of COVID-19. 60 13-1970 84 Although testing for 13-19 60 16 COVID-1950 CASES BY ETHNICITY the virus has begun,50 21 5.5 11 16.5 22 DR. GERRI BROWNING East30 Chicago’s African American and Latino it will be some time30 9 before we know the true communities have been hit the hardest with 20 13 20 Table 1-1-1 nearly 75 percent of positive cases. prevalence in our community. It is important13-19 4 to remember; while many of us are at higher 13-19 African American risk of dying from coronavirus,African the American virus has 32 5.5 11 4016.5 22 shown it is lethal and can infectLatino anyone.Table 1-1-1 43 Latino 56 Consistent with the governor’sWhite stay-at-home 4 orders and the Centers for DiseaseAfricanUnknown American Control 3217 African AmericanWhite 8 Latino 43 guidance on social distancing, I recommend UnknownLatino 17 we continue to stay at home,White avoiding extra 4 12.5 25 37.5 50 people and crowds. Public gatheringsUnknown should 17 White be limited to fewer than 10 and we should Unknown remain 6 feet away from others – evenTable 1-1-1-1 while COVID-19 CASES BY GENDER 12.5 25 37.5 50 wearing masks and facial coverings. FemalesMale outpace males among East Chicago’s Male 39 positive Covid-19 cases. For the best outcomes, stay home andTable 1-1-1-1be safe. This guidance is what is best for the 1 Male people of East Chicago. 49 Male 46 Female 71 Female 67 Dr. Gerri Browning is the HealthUnknown Officer for the 1 Unknown 1 East Chicago Department of Health. Get the latest 17.5 35 52.5 70 updates, data and more at eastchicago.com. SOURCE: East Chicago Department of Health 1 PAGE 2 | MAY 2020 EASTCHICAGO.COM EAST CHICAGO STRONGER TOGETHER HEALTHCARE TEAM: Mayor Anthony Copeland welcomes newly appointed Health Director Diana Garcia-Burns. Together, with Health Officer Dr. Gerri Browning and the Health Department staff, the team will help us navigate the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. [Steve Segura photo] NEW DIRECTOR JOINS CITY’S HEALTHCARE TEAM ABOUT THE NEW Diana Garcia-Burns was hired late last month and began work as HEALTH DIRECTOR East Chicago Health Director about 10 minutes later. The nurse practitioner wouldn’t have it any other way. Diana Garcia-Burns’ return to East Chicago Her plan — and that of Mayor Anthony Copeland — are to ramp Health Department is all up services at the city health department — one of only two city about coming home. health departments remaining in Indiana. “I am very confident in the skills and administrative leadership The new Health Director Mrs. Garcia-Burns brings to the department,” Mayor Anthony is a nurse practitioner Copeland said. “She has been through the H1N1 crisis and is with a masters degree ready to hit the ground running.” in adult health who most recently served as “COVID-19 is obviously the first priority because of the urgent director of the emergency need to identify those who have it as well as those who had it – department at St. whether or not they were symptomatic,” Garcia-Burns said. Catherine Hospital. The East Chicago Health Department has a mission to get back She has a wealth of to the essential business of helping our community. experience that includes “This virus is highlighting disparities in access to healthcare 13 years as Health right here in East Chicago,” she said. “We are keeping track of Department Director for how this virus is trending while we look ahead to the seasonal the city she calls home. flu and ways to minimize its impact.” EASTCHICAGO.COM MAY 2020 | PAGE 3 GET EMERGENCY ALERTS: TEXT ECEVENTS TO 888777 OR REGISTER AT NIXLE.COM KEEPING OUR FIRST RESPONDERS SAFE [Steve Segura photo] LOCAL SUPPLIERS PRODUCING PPE When Fire Chief Anthony Serna was tasked with finding additional personal protective gear — masks, gloves, goggles and gowns — every other city, county and state in the country was looking for the same items. Thanks to Serna and his team, the city found suppliers close to home that can meet East Chicago’s needs. • Tradewinds, which intially produced 8,000 masks and gowns for East Chicago, will be an ongoing supplier. FRONTLINE HEROES • Fastenal, a supply-chain with offices in East Chicago, Mayor Anthony Copeland extends produces N95 masks and other industrial safety gear. a huge thank you to all essential • Sterno Products, the longtime supplier of canned heat workers — police, fire, ambulance and for caterers, also manufactures durable food delivery public works — who are weathering bags at its factory in LaPorte. This material is now the storm, putting themselves on being used to produce masks. the line to keep the city safe. “We are “We have been blessed to find these suppliers so close in great shape, but we wouldn’t be to home, who are eager to work with us to provide what without them,” Copeland said. “We we need,” Serna said. “These are important partnerships pray daily for their safety and thank to keep our employees safe.” them for their service.” THANK YOU EAST CHICAGO, EMPLOYEES! WE LOVE OUR HEROES! PAGE 4 | MAY 2020 EASTCHICAGO.COM GET EMERGENCY ALERTS: TEXT ECEVENTS TO 888777 OR REGISTER AT NIXLE.COM KEEPING EAST CHICAGO CLEAN [Keith Selvie photos] NEW FLEET HITS THE STREETS Four new solid waste collection vehicles arrived just in time amid the pandemic. The trucks, which have arms for automated garbage pick-up, do not require CDL drivers. Public Works Director Keith Selvie said the new trucks give the department flexibility to have any employee to operate the truck.