>>> WITH CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS
RISING ACROSS THE COUNTRY, MERCY
HOSPITAL IN CHICAGO IS SCHEDULED
TO SHUT ITS DOORS NEXT YEAR
RAISING CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE ON
THE SOUTH SIDE WILL HAVE EVEN
LESS ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE.
IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC.
AS DATA SHOWS THE CORONAVIRUS
TAKES A DISPROPORTIONATE TOLL ON
PEOPLE OF COLOR.
JOINING ME NOW, NBC NEWS
CORRESPONDENT LIVE IN CHICAGO,
AND TREMAINE LEE WHOSE INTO
AMERICA PODCAST LOOKS
SPECIFICALLY AT MERCY HOSPITAL.
GREAT TO HAVE YOU BOTH WITH US.
ANTONIO, LET ME START WITH YOU
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE
COMMUNITY SURROUNDING MERCY
HOSPITAL?
>> Reporter: SO PEOPLE HERE ARE
PANICKED AND THEYRE ANGRY.
IN FACT, THERE IS A CROWD BEHIND
ME PROTESTING EARLIER TODAY.
THEYRE STRUGGLING TO FATHOM WHY
CITY AND STATE LEADERS WOULD
ALLOW MERCY HOSPITAL, AN
HISTORIC HOSPITAL THAT HAS
SERVED THE BLACK COMMUNITY ON
THE SOUTH SIDE, TO SHUT DOWN IN
THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC AND NOW
PEOPLE ARE WONDERING WHERE
THEYLL GO IN THE NEW YEAR.
PROVIDENCE HOSPITAL BEHIND ME IS
WHERE MANY PATIENTS ARE
CONSIDERING GOING.
THIS HOSPITAL HAS ITS OWN
FINANCIAL WOES.
THEY HAD TO DOWNSIZE THEIR E.R.,
LAY OFF NURSES AND THEY DONT
EVEN ALLOW BIRTHING AND MATERNAL
CARE HERE WHICH IS DESPERATELY
NEED IN THE BLACK COMMUNITIES IN
CHICAGO.
SO PEOPLE ARE REALLY CONCERNED
AND I SPENT THE LAST SEVERAL
DAYS WITH A PATIENT AT MERCY WHO
IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT
COMES NEXT FOR HER.
TAKE A LISTEN TO THIS.
>> IN THIS COMMUNITY ALONE WE
HAVE OVER 216 SENIORS.
THEN A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH WHEEL
CHAIRS, WALKING AROUND WITH
CANES.
THEY CANT AFFORD TO TAKE UBER.
>> WHAT MESSAGE DOES THIS SEND
TO BLACK AND BROWN NEIGHBORHOODS
IN THE CITY?
IT IS TELLING ME THAT YOU MIGHT
AS WELL ROLL OVER AND DIE.
WE DONT CARE ABOUT YOUR HEALTH.
>> Reporter: SHE LIVES BASICALLY
RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM
MERCY AND IN THE COMMUNITY SHE
LIVES IN, MOST PEOPLE ARE LIVING
ON LIMITED INCOMES.
SOME OF HER NEIGHBORS SAY THEY
GET IN THEIR WHEEL CHAIRS AND
THEY ACTUALLY ROLL OVER TO
MERCY.
AND THEYRE NOT SURE THAT
THEYLL BE ABLE TO AFFORD UBERS
AND CABS TO ACCESS THE OTHER
HOSPITALS AROUND TOWN.
>> LET ME ASK BUT THE MESSAGE
PROTESTERS ARE TRYING TO SEND.
>> AND HOW DOES THAT FIT INTO
HOW THIS COMMUNITY HAS
DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED
BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES?
>> ONE THING WE KNOW TO BE
GOSPEL, PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS
MAKE YOU MORE LIKELY TO GET
COUNTDOWN AND TO DIE FROM
COVID-19.
IN AMERICA BEING BLACK AND POOR
IS A PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS
THAT MAKES YOU SO MUCH MORE
SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE PANGS OF
RACISM AND SYSTEMIC OPPRESSION.
FOLKS HERE ARE VIEWING THIS
CLOSURE THROUGH THAT LENS.
THIS IS PART AND PARCEL OF
SCHOOL CLOSURES, FOOD DESERTS
AND NOW A HEALTH CARE DESERT.
.TO ONE DOCTOR EARLIER WHO GAVE
US THE 30,000 FOOT HOLISTIC VIEW
OF THIS ISSUE.
THE NAME OF DR. THOMAS BRIT.
TAKE A LISTEN.
>> THERES BLAME ALL THE WAY
AROUND.
DO YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU
CONTRIBUTE TO THIS AND WHAT CAN
YOU DO TO MAKE IT BETTER?
AND THEN, IF YOU ACKNOWLEDGE IT,
AND YOURE A POLITICIAN, AND YOU
ACKNOWLEDGE IT, YOURE A
CORPORATE ENTITY, YOU
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS PHYSICIAN
DIDNT HELP, IF YOU ACKNOWLEDGE
ALL THESE THINGS, ARE YOU
WILLING TO MAKE THE CHANGE?
THE CHANGES WONT COME OVERNIGHT
WEST DIDNT GET INTO THIS MESS
OVERNIGHT.
WE WONT GET OUT OF IT
OVERNIGHT.
WE HAVE TO START AND WE SHOULD
START TOMORROW.
>> NOW THE HOSPITAL WILL SAY,
WERE TAKING CARE OF THE MOST
VULNERABLE, FOLKS WHO DONT HAVE
COMMERCIAL INSURANCE AND WERE
NOT MAKING ENOUGH MONEY TO
SUSTAIN OURSELVES.
BUT TO THE COMMUNITY, A
COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN
DISINVESTED IN FOR A VERY LONG
TIME.
IN ONE OF AMERICAS MOST
SEGREGATED COMMUNITIES WHERE
THERE IS A GAP IN SOCIAL JUSTICE
ISSUES AND POLICE ISSUES AND
HEALTH CARE ISSUES, THIS IS PART
AND PARCEL OF THE BIGGER MACHINE
THAT KEEPS GRINDING FOLKS UP AND