Virginia Martin

COVID-19’s Radical Climb in Alabama

Just four weeks ago, Alabama had not been touched by the novel coronavirus. But on March 13, the state had its first two confirmed cases of the disease. In less than two weeks, by the time the state had its first death, the case count had topped 500. By April 1, cases topped 1,000 and 26 people had died. Within three days, more than 1,500 cases had been confirmed and two days after that, cases topped 2,000. On Thursday, three days later, cases are up to 2,703; 70 people have died; and 333 people have been hospitalized since that first case was confirmed, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health’s COVID-10 data and surveillance dashboard. The situation in the state is forecast to get worse before it gets better. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

As Grocery Stores Serve Essential Need, Capacity Limits and Safety Measures Added

MONTGOMERY — Grocery retailers are implementing new safety measures and limiting the number of people inside their stores in an effort to keep employees and customers safe from the novel coronavirus. Read more.

by Caroline Beck, Alabama Daily News

Parenting Hotline Shows the Rising Stress of Coronavirus at Home

Parenting is hard enough as it is, much less during a world pandemic. Schools and child care centers are closed across Alabama and many people are working from home. That means families may be bumping up against each other more than usual. One place that’s seen is through the Parenting Assistance Line (PAL). The organization

by Andrew Yeager, WBHM

UAB in International Trial of Inhaled Nitric Oxide for Ventilated COVID-19 Patients

UAB doctors hope a low-risk, FDA-approved drug to be tested at UAB Hospital will serve as a “rescue therapy” for ventilated patients with lungs seriously damaged by the coronavirus, COVID-19. UAB is among the first in the nation to offer inhaled nitric oxide as a potential viable treatment in its intensive care unit for the sickest of these patients, officials said in a telephone news conference. Read more.

by Hank Black

Confirmed COVID-19 Case in Veterans Home

About 700 veterans live in the state’s four veterans homes, and one of them has now tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. “Currently, the veteran’s symptoms are improving and the veteran continues to be cared for in isolation,” the state Department of Veterans Affairs stated today in a news release. The veteran who tested positive is 77 years old and lives at the Bill Nichols State Veterans Home in Alexander City. Read more.

by Tom Gordon

Farm Product Prices Fall Amid Pandemic, but No Shortage in Food Pipeline

Alabama’s 33,000-member agriculture workforce continues to operate as essential, but the coronavirus has impacted how much some will get paid for their work. “Crops still have to get in the ground, cattle have to be doctored,” Brady Ragland, a commodity director for Alabama Farmers Federation, told Alabama Daily News. “Those activities have to go on.” Some agriculture enterprises — such as farmers markets and cattle auctions — have shifted online where possible because of the coronavirus. But even before the pandemic, farmers were bracing for a tough year. “Farm income is expected to be considerably lower,” Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture Rick Pate said last week. “Commodity prices including cotton, corn, milk and live cattle have fallen significantly. The coronavirus outbreak has affected commodity prices across the board and is likely to do so for several months.” Read more.

by Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

Sign of the Times: Chin Up Alabama!

Fitz Hand Painted Signs, a Homewood business, left this message of encouragement on the side of Battle Republic, a boxing fitness club. (Source: Tom Gordon)

by Tom Gordon

COVID-19 Count for Alabama Reaches 2,229, With 65 Deaths

Alabama has 65 reported deaths of people who tested positive for COVID-19, the state Department of Public Health, reported today. Updated figures show that 48 of those deaths have been officially attributed to the disease, with the remainder under investigation. The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state rose to 2,229. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Virus Tsunami Could Swamp Alabama’s Health Care, Particularly in Rural Areas

• 17 privately run hospitals have closed in Alabama since 2010, seven in rural areas. • 88% of rural hospitals operate in the red. • 36 counties have only one hospital, seven have no hospitals. The COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t hit its peak in Alabama yet, and when it does, it could be a major disaster for the state’s health care infrastruc-ture, according to Dr. Donald Williamson. “I’m seeing this whole thing as a tsunami,” he said. “Right now, for most of the state, we’re in that pre-tsunami period where the water is actually being pulled out to sea and everything looks quiet. I think you’re already beginning to see the tip of the tsunami in Birmingham and other places, and I think the tsunami will over the next several weeks and months wash over the state, causing great devastation to our health care sys-tem.” As president and CEO of the Alabama Hospital Association, Williamson has watched Alabama’s medical infrastructure deteriorate over the past 10 years. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

Birmingham Sets Aside $500,000 for Employee Hazard Pay

Birmingham will provide hazard pay to select city employees during the COVID-19 crisis, the City Council decided Tuesday. Mayor Randall Woodfin told councilors that the pay increase, which will last for one month, will go to 1,978 city employees “that engage in some form or shape with the public.” That includes 922 police and corrections officers; 607 fire and rescue service employees; 220 public works employees; 100 planning, engineering and permits employees; 90 municipal court employees; 29 finance department employees; and 10 City Hall security officers employed by the mayor’s office. Read more.

by Sam Prickett