A key tenet of harm reduction is meeting people who use drugs where they’re at. The coronavirus challenged advocates’ ability to do just that, prompting them to think differently about how they provide and deliver services.

WTTW News is partnering with 22 other newsrooms in the Chicago area to find out how our communities are living through the long-term effects of COVID through a survey and community conversations.

As the spread of COVID-19 sparked restrictions and closures across the U.S. a year ago, organizations serving the homeless were forced to balance their work with the goal of keeping staff members safe. Here’s how some Chicago providers have handled the pandemic — and how they’re dealing with the latest set of challenges.

Temporary workers at food manufacturing, distribution and logistics facilities in Illinois keep supply chains moving — even during a global pandemic. But many feel their concerns about COVID-19 and workplace safety are often ignored, according to a new report.

Thousands of workers around Chicago have been labeled “essential” to maintaining our health, educational and economic infrastructures. We want to hear from those essential workers about what they need to keep going.

Over the last nine months, the ways in which people are getting around Chicago — and their need to do so — have shifted dramatically. But the demand for public transit from essential workers has remained steady.

If you have pain, you may be tempted to tough it out while the nation sees a surge in coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths. But that’s not advisable, physical therapists say. 

Doulas are trained to provide support to pregnant women during labor and delivery. But the arrival of COVID-19 has changed that hands-on relationship to one that relies on virtual connections.