PHOTOS: Inside The McCormick Place Medical Facility
In just two weeks, 600 workers transformed McCormick Place from the largest convention center in America to a medical care facility with 2,250 rooms for COVID-19 patients.
“I want to stress how remarkable it was to put together a robust, unique medical care facility in such a short amount of time and with limited resources,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in the statement.
The facility will serve COVID-19 patients with low to moderate symptoms. The first patients arrived this week, and the mayor’s office said the facility will have 3,000 rooms by the end of the month — including negative pressure tents that bring in clean air and stop air inside the tent from escaping.
Outfitting the McCormick Place Alternate Care Facility also required the new installation of 100 water lines and 1,000 electrical outlets. About 150 medical personnel are now being trained onsite, according to the release, which said the facility includes 43 nursing stations and a pharmacy.
Mary Hall is a digital producer at WBEZ. Follow her @hall_marye.