NEW: Physicians are hearing from immigrants that they fear seeking medical care for symptoms associated with COVID-19, per multiple declarations filed in a case challenging the Trump administration's public charge rule. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/hamedaleaziz/immigrants-coronavirus-treatment-fears-public-charge-policy

In Chicago, community advocates have received calls from immigrants who are “expressing concern that receiving Covid-19 related medical testing or treatment for themselves, their families or their family members will subject them to public charge.”

In New York, advocates have heard that immigrants “were afraid to seek out and obtain COVID-19 testing due to fear about how that might impact their status.”

Here is what one Conn. Dr. said:

“I have received reports of multiple patients who had symptoms consistent with COVID-19 but were afraid to go to the hospital or even obtain COVID-19 testing bc they were concerned about the public charge consequences of testing and treatment.."