Coronavirus

Alabama Farmers Shift Food Processing Due to Coronavirus; Food Waste Not a Problem

Now that Alabamians are eating at home more due to the coronavirus and the resulting stay-at-home orders, state farmers are having to shift how they package and process food. “Restaurants — they buy big packages,” Jimmy Parnell, president of the Alabama Farmers Federation, said. “Most of us, for our family, want a family-sized package. So that has changed the demand significantly. When you're selling a pound or two at a time versus 100 pounds at a time, it changes that flow of things.” Read more.

by Caroline Beck, Alabama Daily News

Rogers: Proxy Voting Would Invite ‘All Kinds of Mischief’

Congressional Democrats are considering a rule change that could allow for remote or proxy voting to keep lawmakers from gathering in the U.S. Capitol during the coronavirus outbreak, but one Alabama congressman spoke out Thursday against the proposal. On a conference call with reporters, U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, a Republican from Anniston, said he was "very much opposed" to a proxy voting plan because of security concerns. He's the lead Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee. Read more.

by Todd Stacy and Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

Coronavirus Peaks In Alabama On April 20. Here’s What To Expect

In four days, coronavirus is expected to peak in Alabama. That’s according to projections that predict the state will have its highest number of COVID-19 hospitalizations on that day. As of Thursday afternoon, there were 553 hospitalizations related to COVID-19, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health. UAB Hospital has been preparing to ensure it has enough ICU beds and ventilators ahead of Monday’s peak. For more, we checked in for a Q & A with Dr. Sarah Nafziger, an emergency physician and co-director of UAB Hospital’s Emergency Management Committee about how things are looking. Read more.

by Gigi Douban, WBHM

New Coalition Pushes for Medicaid Expansion, Republicans Remain Reluctant

The spread of COVID-19 and the strain it has placed on Alabama’s health care system has inspired a new coalition to push for Medicaid expansion in the state, but support from Republican leadership still seems doubtful. Read more.

by Caroline Beck, Alabama Daily News

Byrne to SBA: More Help, Clarity Needed for Small Businesses

Congressman Bradley Byrne, R-Mobile, on Thursday led a bi-partisan letter to Small Business Administration Administrator Jovita Carranza asking the agency to offer more help and guidance for those seeking Economic Injury Disaster Loans, or EIDLs. In March, the SBA began allowing states to apply for the EIDL. The loan program helps qualified businesses and non-profit organizations recover from economic losses tied to the abrupt economic downturn triggered by the COVID-19 disease and efforts to stop its spread. The program offers up to $2 million in assistance for an eligible small business, and advance grants of up to $10,000 are available. However, there are reports of “severe oversubscription” to the EIDL program and of the $10,000 advance grant being insufficient to meet the needs of businesses trying to survive in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the lawmakers wrote. Read more.

by Todd Stacy, Alabama Daily New

Alabama’s COVID-19 Cases, Reported Deaths Double in the Past Eight Days

The number of people in Alabama who have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, as well as those who are reported to have died, have roughly doubled in eight days’ time, according to data from the Alabama Department of Public Health. As of Thursday afternoon, the number of reported deaths stood at 133, compared to 64 on April 7. The number of those tested positive rose to 4,345 Thursday; the total was 2,107 eight days prior. Read more.

by Robert Carter

UAB’s Pastoral Care Team Counsels Health Care Workers Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Hospital chaplains usually show comfort to patients or their families, but at UAB that has changed. During the coronavirus pandemic, the pastoral care team spends a lot of time counseling health care workers who are on the front lines. Read more.

by Janae Pierre, WBHM

Crime Slows as People Shelter from Coronavirus

Crime isn’t taking a coronavirus holiday, but law enforcement statistics show it headed in a positive direction as more people shelter from the pandemic. In fact, streets in the Birmingham area and around the world are not only safer from crime so far in 2020, but also from automobile accidents. Evidence indicates, however, that domestic disturbance calls in some communities are increasing as people spend more hours together at home. Read more.

by Scott Morris

COVID-19 Cases in Alabama Top 4,000

UPDATED --- Alabama’s cases of COVID-19 rose to 4,075 Tuesday and the number of people who have been hospitalized since the pandemic began reached 525. Reported deaths in the state are up to 118. The Alabama Department of Public Health has confirmed 75 of those deaths and is investigating the remainder of the cases, in which people who had been diagnosed with COVID-19 died. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Birmingham to Launch Ride Service for COVID-19 Patients

The city of Birmingham expects to launch a service this week to safely transport people to coronavirus testing sites. It’s an initiative through Birmingham Strong, a public-private civic coalition spearheaded by the city. Read more.

by Gigi Douban, WBHM