One of Blue Island’s slogans is “think outside the Loop.” It’s the south suburb’s twist on the phrase “think outside the box.”

Blue Island Mayor Domingo Vargas took an unorthodox approach last month when, after learning that one of the city’s police officers had contracted the coronavirus, he had the entire force stand down.

He closed the police station and called in Cook County sheriff’s deputies.

Vargas said it was a matter of public safety, and not only does he defend his actions, he said he would do it again if need be.

Members of the City Council felt otherwise, and reigned in the mayor’s powers, handing over control for dealing with emergencies to the police and fire chiefs.

The coronavirus, and the economic decline put in place by the stay-at-home order, is the latest punch for Blue Island.

Late last year, some 800 employees lost their jobs when the MetroSouth hospital shut down.

The fallout has hit some Blue Island businesses hard; without nurses, doctors, patients and visitors coming to the hospital, diners, florists and other businesses saw a drop-off of about 20%.

COVID-19 is now prompting the reopening of the medical center, albeit not as a hospital but as an acute care facility for COVID-19 patients.

Follow Amanda Vinicky on Twitter:@AmandaVinicky

Community Reporting Series

“Chicago Tonight” is expanding its community reporting. We’re hitting the streets to speak with your neighbors, local businesses, agencies and leaders about COVID-19, the economy, racial justice, education and more. See where we’ve been and what we’ve learned by using the map below. Or select a community using the drop-down menu. Points in red represent our series COVID-19 Across Chicago; blue marks our series “Chicago Tonight” in Your Neighborhood.

Choose a Community:Albany Park (4/15/20)Albany Park (3/25/21)Archer Heights (1/21/20)Arlington Heights (9/30/21)Armour Square (Chinatown) (3/23/20)Armour Square (Chinatown) (6/25/20)Armour Square (Chinatown) (2/11/21)Ashburn (10/22/20)Auburn Gresham (4/28/20)Auburn Gresham (7/2/20)Aurora (4/16/20)Aurora (6/1/20)Austin (4/14/20)Austin (7/30/20)Austin (8/19/21)Avondale (8/12/21)Belmont Cragin (5/11/20)Belmont Cragin (1/7/20)Beverly (3/30/20)Beverly (3/11/21)Blue Island (4/20/20)Bridgeport (and Armour Square) (4/8/21)Brighton Park (4/23/20)Chatham (4/6/20)Chatham (12/3/20)Chicago Lawn (Marquette Park) (5/27/20)Chicago Police Headquarters (4/8/20)Chicago River/”Downtown” (6/10/2021)Cicero (4/27/20)Clearing (1/6/22)Davenport, Iowa (Quad Cities) (5/21/20)Des Plaines (9/2/21)Douglas (Bronzeville) (6/15/20)Douglas (Bronzeville) (7/22/21)East Garfield Park (4/1/20)Edison Park (5/26/20)Edgewater (Andersonville) (6/22/20)Edgewater (Andersonville) (12/2/21)Elgin (6/24/20)Englewood (5/20/20)Englewood (8/13/20)Englewood (4/22/21)Evanston (6/11/20)Evanston (5/6/2021)Forest Glen (Sauganash) (12/17/20)Gage Park 7/23/20Gage Park 2/4/2021Garfield Ridge (8/26/21)Gary, IN (4/30/20)Geneva (11/5/20)Grand Boulevard (12/16/21)Greater Grand Crossing (10/8/20)Hegewisch (4/22/20)Hermosa (7/16/20)Highwood (4/2/20)Humboldt Park (5/27/2021)Hyde Park (5/6/20)Jefferson Park (1/28/21)Joliet (10/21/21)Kankakee (5/14/20)Kenosha, WI (4/7/20)Kenosha, WI (8/27/20)Kenosha (10/29/20)Lake View (Boystown) (4/9/20)Lake View (Wrigleyville) (4/1/21)Lake View (Northalsted) (6/3/2021)Lincoln Square (7/9/20)Lisle (6/17/2021)Logan Square (5/19/20)Logan Square/West Town (Bucktown/Wicker Park) (6/18/20)Logan Square (5/20/2021)Lower West Side (Pilsen) (12/10/20)Lower West Side (Pilsen) (10/28/21)Maywood (9/10/20)Milwaukee, WI (8/20/20)McKinley Park (5/13/20)Montclare (4/21/20)Mount Greenwood (9/17/20)Near South Side (Mercy Hospital) (9/3/20)Near West Side (Greektown) (2/25/2021)Near West Side (West Loop) (9/23/21)New City (Back of the Yards) (6/10/20) North Chicago (Naval Station Great Lakes) (11/11/21)North Lawndale (1/14/20)North Lawndale (7/1/21)North Lawndale (10/14/21)Oak Lawn (9/9/21)Oak Park (6/24/20)O’Hare (and Rosemont) (4/29/20)Portage Park (6/16/20)Pullman/Roseland (5/12/20)Ravenswood (7/15/21)River North (6/3/20)Riverdale (5/13/2021)Rogers Park (5/5/20)Rogers Park (11/25/20)Rogers Park (8/5/21)Skokie (5/18/20)South Chicago (6/9/20)South Deering (2/18/21)South Lawndale (Little Village) (3/26/20)South Lawndale (Little Village, Crawford Power Plant) (4/13/20)South Lawndale (Little Village) (9/24/20)South Lawndale (Little Village) (4/15/2021)South Lawndale (Little Village) (9/16/21)South Shore (3/25/20)South Shore (12/9/21)Streeterville (Navy Pier) (6/9/20)Streeterville (Navy Pier) (4/29/2021)St. Joseph, MI (5/28/20)The Loop (6/1/20)The Loop/Near South Side (South Loop)(7/8/21)Uptown (3/31/20)Uptown (10/7/21)Washington Heights (11/4/21)Washington Park (11/18/21)Waukegan (5/4/20)West Chicago (3/4/2021)West Garfield Park (10/1/20)West Ridge (Little India) (3/24/20)West Ridge (8/6/20)West Lawn (11/12/20)Wheaton (10/15/20)WTTW Studios (Wrap-up) (6/29/20)Woodlawn (6/17/20)Woodridge (6/24/2021)