The unit at Vista Medical Center East is scheduled to be built within 12 hours on Friday. It will be used “to expand triage capabilities, improve patient flow and keep COVID-19 patients separated from other patients,” according to a joint statement from International Medical Corps and the hospital. Clinical volunteers will help “alleviate potential workforce strain due to increased demands and patient volumes,” the statement says.

Meanwhile, the Ingalls Memorial Hospital unit is scheduled to be built early next week.

In addition to the Chicago area, units are being deployed in Los Angeles, New York, Detroit and two cities in Puerto Rico, according to the statement.

The field hospital units from International Medical Corps and Abbvie are in addition to the city's alternate care facilities at McCormick Place and the handful of closed hospitals that have been reopened during the outbreak.