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On Sunday, May 3, Governor J.B. Pritzker reported that Illinois conducted 19,417 COVID-19 tests in a single day—the highest number of tests administered by the state over a 24-hour period to date. Over the past few weeks, the state of Illinois has regularly exceeded Pritzker's previously stated goal of conducting 10,000 COVID-19 tests a day, thanks largely to the increased availability of tests, more testing sites and relaxed requirements for testing eligibility (anyone displaying symptoms is eligible to be tested at Illinois Department of Public Health-run testing facilities).
To help Illinois residents in need of a test find a location where they can have one administered, the state of Illinois has assembled a map of testing sites on its website. Not all of the sites listed on the map are managed by the Illinois Department of Public Health, so requirements for testing may vary, with many requiring an appointment and others only administering tests to individuals with flu-like symptoms who have been in contact with a confirmed COVID-19 carrier.
Users can enter their zip code on the website and select a 10-, 25-, 30- or 60-mile radius, before pulling up a map displaying testing sites within that area. The name of each testing site, its hours, testing requirements and contact information are listed under the map, allowing users to find a location that fits their specific needs. Some sites on the list note the availability of antibody testing—a test that checks for the presence of antibodies in your blood, which can denote a previous COVID-19 infection, even if an individual did not display symptoms.
While it's great to see a significant number of COVID-19 testing sites available to Chicago residents, the state's map also exposes a disparity in accessibility. While the Loop and much of the city's North Side are dotted with testing sites, the number of sites on the city's West and South Sides (which have suffered a far greater toll, according to case counts broken down by zip code) are relatively sparse. There's no doubt that the city will need to work to improve access to COVID-19 testing sites in all parts of the city, whether through partnerships with neighborhood organizations or by hosting pop-up testing sites on city-owned land.
Remember that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the symptoms of COVID-19 include a cough and shortness of breath accompanied by a fever, chills, muscle pain, headaches, a sore throat or a new loss of taste of smell. If you have questions or concerns about whether or not you should be tested, you can always consult with your doctor to learn more about your options.
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