The Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles will resume parole hearings May 18 after stopping them last month in response to COVID-19. Advocates say the state should expedite the parole process to protect inmates and alleviate prison crowding. Read more.
UAB officials are starting to look toward the day when COVID-19 cases start to decline in Alabama, but there are no easy answers to what could come next. The most-watched model of coronavirus spread now predicts Alabama will hit its peak April 21, a week from Tuesday, though that date has varied over time. Government and public health officials are watching the numbers to determine when the state can begin the process of getting back to ‘normal.’ When cases do start to drop, those officials will be determining whether they can reopen businesses but require they maintain social distancing, for instance, Dr. Rachel Lee, UAB Hospital epidemiologist, said in a briefing Monday. Lee said people even after restrictions are lightened may have to continue some socially distancing if they want to stay healthy. They may have to cut back on hugging and shaking hands to thwart the coronavirus spread, she said. When movement restrictions are lightened, UAB professionals also will be getting ready for either a slow steady stream of COVID-19 patients or a potential surge of patients. They are planning for the possibility of having to bring COVID-19 operations back to full speed, if needed, Lee said. A decline in the disease does not mean it has gone away; previous pandemics have proved that, she said. Read more.
Ella Mae Irby, a fixture at Bogue's Restaurant in Birmingham, talks about the effect COVID-19 has had on her and the restaurant.
More than half of Alabamians who have been confirmed as dying from COVID-19 also have had cardiovascular disease. Heart disease was the most common underlying health condition among those who have died from the disease, according to data the Alabama Department of Public Health released late Friday. Of the 60 people who were confirmed to have died from COVID-19, 31 also had heart disease. Diabetes was the second most common underlying health condition, with 24 deaths, followed by renal disease, 13, and lung disease, 12. Twenty-six of those who have died from COVID-19 had more than one underlying health condition. But 13 of those who are confirmed as having died from coronavirus had no underlying conditions at all, according to the ADPH data. Read more.
The number of cases in Alabama from the novel coronavirus rose to 3,611 Monday, with 95 reported deaths, 61 of those confirmed through follow-up tests, according to the state Department of Public Health. Since March 13, 457 people have been hospitalized with the disease. Statewide, 20,605 people have been tested for the coronavirus. Read more.
The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham on Friday announced the first round of grants through its COVID-19 Relief Fund and new grants through its Catalyst Fund. The foundation has committed to make more than $1 million in grants through the Relief Fund to nonprofit groups so they can address the immediate and basic needs of economically vulnerable populations in the five-county Birmingham area affected by COVID-19. Read more.
Lyric Theatre installed a message on its marquee encouraging people who have been in virtual lockdown because of the coronaviruus.
Alabama has 79 reported deaths of people who tested positive for COVID-19, the state Department of Public Health, reported late Thursday. Of those, 58 have been officially attributed to the disease, with the remainder under investigation. Read more.
MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles is looking at how it might restart parole hearings after canceling them indefinitely three weeks ago in response to concerns about the new coronavirus. At least one lawmaker and criminal justice advocates think parole hearings need to continue in order to mitigate the possible outbreak of COVID-19 in prisons and they argue a health order from Gov. Kay Ivey would allow parole hearings to continue virtually. Read more.
MONTGOMERY —The list of companies vying for the state’s $900 million contract to build three large prisons is down to two. Gov. Kay Ivey this week announced a two-week extension of the deadline for submitting responses to the state’s request for proposals. In that announcement, two companies were listed: Alabama Prison Transformation Partners and CoreCivic.
