Coronavirus Update March 13, 2020

I want to provide an update on COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) in Illinois and inform you of some of the steps our state government is taking in response to COVID-19 to slow the spread of the virus and keep our residents safe and informed:

• The Governor declared a Disaster Proclamation (Illinois' version of a Declaration of a State of Emergency) to ensure our government has access to every tool necessary to manage the spread of COVID-19.
• The Governor, in consultation with public health professionals and State Superintendent Carmen Ayala, has decided to close all schools in Illinois, public and private, from Tuesday 3/17 through Monday 3/30.
• The Governor and health professionals including Dr. Ngozi Ezike, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, have called on every individual in our state to do their part to limit the virus' spread and protect our most vulnerable residents by practicing social distancing, staying home when they are sick, washing hands for 20 seconds, avoiding large crowds, and generally not treating their whereabouts as business as usual.
• The State of Illinois, Cook County, and the City of Chicago have all issued bans on gatherings of more than 1,000 people, and Governor Pritzker and our state's executives are asking those who administer gatherings of greater than 250 people to cancel or indefinitely postpone such public gatherings.
• The Pritzker administration is filing emergency rules in coordination with the Illinois Department of Employment Security to clarify that individuals unemployed due to COVID-19 can generally qualify for unemployment benefits to the full extent permitted by federal law.
• The Governor's office is holding press conferences every day to keep the public informed. Up to date information and video of these press conferences can be found on the Illinois Department of Public Health's website. 

For more information on the impact of COVID-19 in our local community, you can watch a video of the Facebook Live I hosted with Senator Martwick and health experts from the local and state levelHERE.

There is a lot of misinformation circulating about COVID-19. I ask that you consult trusted sources for updates, including the Center for Disease Control, the Illinois Department of Public HealthCOVID-19 hotline: 1-800-889-3931 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., and the FAQ section below.

Please do not hestitate to call us at 872-208-5188, send a message at www.senatorram.com/contact-us, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Above all, I urge you not to panic. The State of Illinois is prepared to handle the developing situation, and I'm confident our officials will do their best to keep our residents safe.

Frequently Asked Questions about Coronavirus

What is coronavirus?

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), coronaviruses commonly cause mild to moderate illness in people worldwide. Most of the time, they aren't much different from a cold or flu virus— coronavirus symptoms may include fever, cough and shortness of breath, and usually only last for a short amount of time. There are no specific treatments for coronavirus, but to relieve symptoms, patients are instructed to take pain and fever medications, drink plenty of liquids, and stay home and rest.

What’s the status of coronavirus in Illinois?

Currently, the number of coronavirus cases in the state remains low, but it continues to climb. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has posted coronavirus case totals and test results on its website, updated daily. 

Read more …

Villivalam, Martwick hold Facebook live for Coronavirus info

State Senators Ram Villivalam and Robert Martwick recently held a Facebook LIVE event alongside public health experts. Susan Reisberg, a Nursing Supervisor at Skokie Health Department and Evonda Thomas-Smith, Assistant Director at Illinois Department of Public Health, joined the senators to talk about the novel Coronavirus and took questions from viewers submitted online. The event has now been viewed by over 12,000 people.

You can watch the full the video at Facebook.com/RobertMartwick.

Senator Durbin Meets with State Senator Villivalam and Community Leaders to Discuss Immigration Policy

On Friday, February 7, 2020, State Sen. Ram Villivalam and Dinkar Karumuri, a local Technology entrepreneur and a community leader, met U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, along with a few immigrant family members from various backgrounds, all of them waiting for more than a decade in the green card approval queue.

Sen. Durbin took the time to hear their stories and explain the improvements he negotiated to the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act (S. 386). Dinkar Karumuri thanked the senator for his advocacy and support of immigrants throughout his career in public service, while also indicating the desperate nature of the immigrant community’s situation, that there are several stories to share, and that, at the meeting, they had representatives reflective of the population. Sen. Durbin was interested in hearing the stories.

Tanmayi Achanti, a recent graduate of UIC, explained her plight of having to convert her immigration status to an international student visa during her finals and how aging out hindered the opportunities in her job hunt. “I came here along with my parents in the year 2000, as a 3-year-old kid. Chicago is my home, but I am and feel like an alien in my own home now. I moved to a student visa, and it was devastating for my parents and me. At the same time, we see the job offers get rejected even after I am qualified and for the sole reason of companies not being able to sponsor for my work visa per their policy. I stayed strong to console my parent's pain," she said.

Read more …

Villivalam, Barickman introduce tax credit for volunteer firefighters and EMTs

SPRINGFIELD – State Senators Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) and Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington) recently announced new legislation to help volunteer firefighters and EMT’s with their expenses.

Senate Bill 3224 creates a $500 tax credit that qualifying volunteer firefighters and EMTs can claim when they file their Illinois income taxes. It is designed to help volunteer firefighters and EMTs pay for expenses, such as medical and fire equipment, training, licensure, and even insurance. Villivalam and Barickman hope that reducing the financial burden of volunteering can help local fire departments to recruit new volunteers to bolster their efforts to protect the public.

"Volunteer EMS and fire services, like Hatzalah in the district I represent, supplement and boost the critical work of our firefighters throughout the entire state," said Senator Villivalam. "This tax credit will enable volunteer services to boost recruitment and continue providing lifesaving, high quality assistance."

“Volunteer firefighters and EMTs put their lives on the line for us with little or no pay of any kind, even though they have to pay equipment and training costs,” said Sen. Barickman. “This legislation will help offset some of their costs and hopefully make it easier to do their job, which is to protect all of us.”

Senate Bill 3224 has been assigned to the subcommittee on tax exemptions and credits.