Man says he was kicked out of hotel after telling staff he had COVID-19

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    CHICAGO (WGN) — During the pandemic, several hotels have opened their doors for frontline worker and other residents who may be ill and want to isolate from family during this time.

But Roberty Hanvy said not everyone may be able to stay at a hotel if they think they’re sick.

Hanvy said when he started feeling sick, his doctor thought it might be COVID-19.

“Per my doctors orders, I wore a mask and gloves,” he said.

And to keep his immunocompromised partner safe, Hanvy said he checked into a suburban hotel. He said let the staff know he might be sick. WGN is not naming the hotel.

Two days later, Hanvy said he was shocked when the hotel asked him to leave.

“Their business is open to the public,” he said. “They should be treating everybody who’s in that hotel as if they have COVID-19 because you don’t know.”

But not all hotels are equipped to take in the potentially sick.

Michael Jacobson is the president of the Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association.

He said over 25,000 rooms have been opened up across the state to help during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But Jacobson said people should contact their local health department first.

“Those hotels that have established relationships and are working with local health departments for self-isolation purposes have taken additional steps to properly train their employees to go take additional precautions related to patients that might potentially have the virus,” he said.

Hanvy said he wishes they told him that at check-in.

“I would have said ok, fine, I’ll find another place to stay,” he said.

The Cook County Dept of Public Health has a program that provides alternate housing but currently that’s only for COVID-19 patients who have left area hospitals.

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