Building on Governor JB Pritzker’s commitment to stop the spread of COVID-19, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) announced the launch of a statewide outreach campaign to Latinx and immigrant communities facing disproportionately high COVID-19 positivity rates. The campaign communicates in Spanish and 16 other languages through a variety of ways to help empower community members to protect their health and that of their family members.
The Latinx community has a positivity rate of more than 20 percent, nearly double the positivity rate among all other races and ethnicities, and accounts for 21 percent of positive cases in the state. The campaign aims to break the barriers that keep immigrants and refugees from moving forward with prevention, and advises these communities on the best ways to prevent COVID as the State re-entered Phase 3. Additionally, 14 new Welcoming Centers across the state have received funding to provide immigrant and refugee support services bringing the total number of Welcoming Centers operating in Illinois to 30. The Illinois Welcoming Center (IWC) is a comprehensive service center for the integration of immigrants and refugees in Illinois. The Illinois Welcoming Center’s innovative model eliminates systematic barriers that immigrants may have in approaching state services and empower immigrant communities to succeed. For more information about immigrant and refugee support services, visit www.coronavirus.illinois.gov or call 312-793-7120.