Governor’s Office Daily COVID-19 Q & A
April 17, 2020
Professional Licenses
Q: Can funeral director and embalmer interns with an “Inactive”, “Expired”, “Cancelled”, or “Non-Renewed” license status, renew their license?
A: IDFPR issued a variance to allow funeral director and embalmer interns, who have an Illinois funeral director and embalmer intern license in “Inactive”, “Expired”, “Cancelled”, or “Non-Renewed” status to renew their license by paying a reduced renewal fee of $0. In order to restore a license under this Variance, the license shall not be revoked, suspended, or otherwise encumbered. Licensees renewed under this Variance shall only work in Illinois funeral homes. This Variance shall be valid until September 30, 2020.
To review the issued variance, https://www.idfpr.com/Forms/COVID19/Funeral%20Director%20and%20Embalmer%20intern%20Variance.pdf.
Q: Is there guidance for medical residents and medical students?
A: April 17, 2020 Guidance For Medical Students and Residents to Assist During COVID-19 Pandemic https://www.idfpr.com/Forms/COVID19/Guidance%20for%20Medical%20Students%20and%20Residents%20to%20Assist%20During%20COVID-19%20Pandemic.pdf.
Q: What can Nursing students do to help?
A: April 17, 2020 Guidance For Nursing Students to Assist During COVID-19 Pandemic https://www.idfpr.com/Forms/COVID19/Guidance%20for%20Nursing%20Students%20to%20Assist%20During%20COVID-19%20Pandemic.pdf.
Q: Can Physician Assistant students provide assistance?
A: April 17, 2020 Guidance For Physician Assistant Students to Assist During COVID-19 Pandemic https://www.idfpr.com/Forms/COVID19/Guidance%20for%20Physician%20Assistant%20Students%20to%20Assist%20During%20COVID-19%20Pandemic.pdf.
Q: Can licensed pharmacists screen patients for COVID-19?
A: IDFPR has granted authority to state licensed pharmacists to screen patients, order, administer, and report the findings of tests waived under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 19888 (CLIA) for COVID-19. Such licensees must receive training, and can only work in one of the following:
a. a CLIA-certified lab or a facility with a CLIA certificate of waiver;
b. in a state-licensed long-term care facility, state regulated hospital, or federally qualified health center (FQHC);
c. Under the direction of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) or the Department of Public Health (DPH).
To view the IDFPR order, https://www.idfpr.com/Forms/COVID19/Physician%20Pharmacist%20Proclamation.pdf.
Q: Are out-of-state licensed physicians allowed to test and assist patients with COVID-19?
A: IDFPR has granted out-of-state licensed physicians the authority to provide medical assessment screening, and treatment, and any health relief necessary to care for COVID-19 patients.
For more information on IDFPR’s order view: April 17, 2020 Proclamation to Modifying Professional License Statutes for Out-of-State Licensed Physicians and for Illinois Licensed Pharmacists to Administer COVID-19 Tests https://www.idfpr.com/Forms/COVID19/Physician%20Pharmacist%20Proclamation.pdf.
First Responders
Q: Are first responders and front-line workers, who are most susceptible to exposure to COVID-19 medically covered while working?
A: The rapid spread of COVID-19 and uncertainty created within regulated industry has necessitated the modification of evidentiary rules regarding practice before the Workers
Compensation Commission to ensure first responders and essential front-line workers, who are most susceptible to exposure to COVID-19, are afforded the full protections of the Workers’ Compensation Act in the event they are exposed to or contract the virus. Click here to see the AMENDMENT https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/iwcc/news/Documents/15APR20-Notice_of_Emergency_Amendments_CORRECTED-clean-50IAC9030_70.pdf.
Unemployment
Q: Will church employees and clergymen be eligible to file for unemployment benefits?
A: The creation of the new federal program, the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program (PUA), provides payment to those not who are not traditionally eligible for unemployment benefits (through December 31, 2020). Details for the program can be found here https://www.dol.gov/coronavirus/unemployment-insurance.
Generally, applicants should follow the schedule issued by IDES when applying for unemployment:
• FOR ON-LINE APPLICATIONS, click here https://www2.illinois.gov/ides/Pages/default.aspx. If your last name begins with letters:
o A through M file your claim on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays.
o N through Z file your claim online on Mondays, Wednesday, Fridays.
*Saturdays – for those who missed their application window.
• FOR PHONE APPLICATIONS, call (800) 244-5631. If your last name begins with letters:
o A through M call between 7:30am – 6pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
o N through Z call between 7:30am – 6pm on Mondays and Wednesdays.
*Fridays (7am-6pm) & Saturdays (8am-noon) – for those who missed their call window.