Glenn Stephens

How the News Media Can Vaccinate Against Misinformation

The looming public distribution of COVID-19 vaccines offers great optimism for ending the pandemic. But doing so requires a substantial majority of the population to acquire immunity either by contracting and recovering from the disease or by getting a vaccine. Good luck with that, everyone. We live in a society where we can’t even agree that the coronavirus is real, much less that we all ought to wear masks and get vaccinated. Making matters worse are the approximately 39 percent of Americans who say they probably or definitely will not seek a COVID vaccine, according to a Pew Research survey in November. If that number holds or goes up, that could be an obstacle to achieving the desired herd immunity that protects everyone. The success of COVID vaccinations will hinge greatly on effective public messaging by health officials and government leaders. The news media will play a crucial role, as well. Read more.

by Tom Arenberg

A Visit With Santa? It’s Still Happening Despite The Pandemic

Liz Paredes may be a full-grown adult, but she practically squealed when seeing Santa Claus earlier this month. It was a welcome moment of joy during the coronavirus pandemic she could share with her 12-year-old daughter who has autism. “I’m really glad that we were able to do that because I want to keep that spirit alive for her and because of the pandemic we just haven’t ventured out,” Paredes said. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the setting for that visit was unlike any other year. Santa stood among inflatable Christmas trees in the parking lot of a Walmart in Pelham. Kids sat on a bench a few feet in front of him while parents snapped pictures. Paredes happened to spot the event while shopping. Read more.

by Andrew Yeager, WBHM

COVID-19 Spread in Alabama Continues at Record Levels

Alabama continued its record-setting climb in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Friday's update by the state Department of Public Health. The agency reported an increase of 5,348 cases in its daily update, 382 of those came from late reports for Dec. 10 to Dec. 12. That left a total of 4,966 new cases during the latest 24-hour period, up from the previous record of 4,695 in Thursday's report. Jefferson County accounted for 956 of the cases, bringing its total to 44,274 cases since the pandemic began. Counties of the state's four largest cities together reported more than one-third of the cases, with Madison County (Huntsville) listing 500 cases; Mobile County, 249; and Montgomery County, 212. A total of 29,912 people have been hospitalized for the coronavirus in the state throughtout the pandemic, and a record 2,425 were in hospitals on Thursday. UAB also reported a record, with 175 COVID-19 patients on Thursday. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Jeffco Commission Removes Cares Act Funding for Mission Alabama

Lashunda Scales removed Mission Alabama from the entities getting Cares Act funds on Thursday during in the final meeting of the Jefferson County Commission for 2020. All of the federal money allotted to help entities deal with the challenges of the novel coronavirus pandemic were to have been allotted prior to Dec. 30. The commission is not scheduled to have another meeting before then. During their committee meeting on Tuesday, commissioners talked about the primary contractors –- Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity (JCCEO) and Birmingham Urban League –- involved in assisting residents with utility bills and mortgages. Mission Alabama was also included on today’s meeting agenda to be in line for funds. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr

A Record 4,695 COVID-19 Cases Reported in Alabama

A record 4,695 new cases of COVID-19, plus 56 deaths from the disease, were reported Thursday by the Alabama Department of Public Health. The previous record number of new cases for a single day was 4,261 on Dec. 10. There have been 310,335 cases of the coronavirus since the pandemic began in March. The cumulative number of deaths rose to 4,254.  A total of 29,559 people have been hospitalized in the state throughout the pandemic. There were 2,310 in hospitalis on Wednesday, down slightly from a record 2,351 on Monday.  Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

COVID-19 Counts Rise by 4,107 Cases, 74 Deaths in Alabama

The Alabama Department of Public Health on Thursday added 4,107 new cases and 74 deaths to the state's COVID-19 totals. There have been 305,640 cases and 4,198 deaths from the coronavirus in the state since the pandemc began in March. Over the past week, the state has averaged 3,636 new cases per day, up from an average of 2,290 for the week ending Dec. 1. The number of people hospitalized stood at a record 2,353 on Wednesday, according to the ADPH update. The daily number of COVID-19 patients has risen steadily this month, after standing at 1,592 on Dec. 1. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Birmingham Public Library Executive Director Resigns After Three Controversial Years

Floyd Council, executive director of the Birmingham Public Library, announced his resignation Tuesday morning after three embattled years on the job. “After much prayer and consideration, I wanted you all to be the first to know that I will be announcing my resignation this week from my position as Executive Director of the Birmingham Public Library with plans to start the new year with other blessings and use of my gifts and talents to the Glory of God,” Council wrote on his Facebook page Tuesday morning. “Health, wellness and peace all come from God, not jobs, big salaries, and people.” Council did not give any motive for his resignation. He had spent parts of October and November suspended without pay by the BPL board of trustees for undisclosed reasons, but had returned to the job last month. The board had been scheduled to evaluate Council’s performance during a personnel committee meeting on Dec. 17. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

Alabama’s COVID-19 Count Tops 300,000 Mark

The number of COVID-19 cases in Alabama has eclipsed the 300,000 mark, and the number of people in hospitals for the disease has risen to an all-time high, the state Department of Public Health reported Tuesday. The agency's dashboard showed 3,638 new cases of the coronavirus, raising the state's total to 301,533 since the pandemic began in March. ADPH said 538 of the new cases were from late lab reports covering the period of Sept. 29 to Dec. 12 -- leaving a total of 3,100 for the day. There were 22 additional deaths, for a total of 4,124 overall. Read more.

by Glenn Stephens

Local COVID-19 Hospitalizations Spike as Alabama Faces Shortages in Number of Available Healthcare Workers

For the eighth day in a row, Alabama has logged more than 2,000 Covid-19 hospitalizations — and experts predict that number will continue to rise in the coming weeks.  Those record-high numbers mean hospital staff are being stretched thin, a problem made worse by the fact that many are getting sick themselves. And as Birmingham-area hospitals see their ICU beds fill with COVID-19 patients, many are starting to provide ICU-level care in other parts of the hospital, such as the emergency room or the post-anesthesia area. The state reported Monday that 2,286 people were hospitalized with the virus. That’s a sharp increase from just one month ago, when hospitalizations hovered around 1,200 patients. Don Williamson, president of the Alabama Hospital Association, says that number is likely to reach 2,500 by Jan. 1. Read more.

by Angela Fu

Hospitalizations at Record Level, Number of New Cases Down in COVID-19 Report

The number of new cases of COVID-19 in Alabama dropped, but the rate of hospitalizations rose to a record level in Monday's daily update by the state Department of Public Health. The agency reported 2,264 new cases of the disease, down from 2,790 the previous day but up from 1,731 for the same day last week. There have been 297,895 cases in the state since the pandemic began in March.  There has been a steady increase in recent weeks in the number of people being treated in Alabama hospitals for the coronavirus. The figure stood Sunday at 2,284, up from 2,021 one week ago and 1,731 two weeks ago. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch