A fifth Alabama prison inmate has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, the state Department of Corrections announced Thursday night. The inmate, who was at Bibb Correctional Facility in Brent, tested positive while being treated at a local hospital and is under care there, according to a corrections news release. Read more.
Alabama is officially restarting its economy – a bit. The state’s Stay-at-Home order expired at 5 p.m. as a new Safer-at-Home order took its place, and the Shelter-in-Place order for the city of Birmingham expires at midnight. But Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin announced Thursday afternoon that the city had instituted a curfew that begins each evening at 10:00 and ends the following morning at 5:00. Woodfin also reminded people that the city has a new law that beginning Friday requires people out in public to wear face coverings. Medical-grade masks are not required by the ordinance; scarves, bandanas or other fabrics will suffice. As the state eases up on its emergency order, retail stores were cleared to open at 5 p.m. Thursday, if they choose. However, they must limit the shoppers allowed in to half or less of their maximum capacity, disinfect and allow room for customers to stay 6 feet or more away from each other. Businesses, too, may reopen if they can ensure social distancing among workers. Elective medical procedures also may resume. The state’s beaches are open, but gatherings of 10 people or more are still prohibited, and people still must stay 6 feet away from each other. Read more.
The new normal begins Friday in Jefferson County as the County Commission reopens its courthouses and county facilities. The commission’s order to close county facilities to the public expires Thursday. “You’ll see some changes when you come in the courthouse,” county manager Tony Petelos said. “We're doing everything that we possibly can to protect our employees and to protect the public.” Read more.
MONTGOMERY — An Alabama Senate committee on Tuesday approved a proposed 2021 General Fund Budget of $2.38 billion, an increase from the current fiscal year funding but less than what was expected before the coronavirus outbreak cut into tax revenues. The funding increases were primarily for four agencies: Medicaid, mental health, corrections and public health. Raises that were anticipated earlier in the year for state employees aren't in the budget. Read more.
MONTGOMERY — Gov. Kay Ivey on Tuesday announced her new “safer at home” order, which will allow a gradual reopening of parts of the state’s economy and will replace the current stay-at-home order that is set to expire at 5 p.m. Thursday. This new order still encourages individuals to stay at home and social distance themselves from others whenever possible, but it allows retail stores to open as long as they remain at or below 50% their maximum occupancy rate and allow for social distancing. It also allows businesses to remain open provided they can ensure social distancing among workers Elective medical procedures will now be allowed to resume, Ivey and State Public Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said. The state's beaches will also reopen, but gatherings of 10 people or more are still prohibited, and people still must stay 6 feet away from each other. Ivey emphasized that this is just the first phase of a multi-phase process for reopening the state and urged Alabamians to keep taking the threat of COVID-19 seriously. “We’re still seeing the virus spread and all of our people are susceptible to the infection,” Ivey said. “We must continue to be vigilant in our social distancing both today and for the foreseeable future.” Entertainment venues and athletic facilities will still remain closed as well as close-contact services such as barber shops, hair salons, nail salons and tattoo shops. Bars still will be closed and restaurants still will be limited to delivery or curbside service. Harris said that the relatively flat rate of new cases seen in recent days has been an encouraging factor in deciding to go forward with this first phase of reopening. Newly diagnosed cases in Alabama are now around 200 per day. There has also been no shortage of ventilators, and ICU bed capacity and overall hospital capacity has not been strained, Harris said. "It's definitely reasonable to begin a reopening like this," Harris said. "We do have adequate ICU beds and the ability to care for people within the four walls of the hospital and have not needed the alternative care sites that we had prepared for. So all these things are very encouraging to us." Read more. View a chart of what the new order covers.
If you’re ready to go to the beaches in Alabama, you’ll get your chance Thursday night, and you can even do some shopping. But you’ll still be getting your restaurant meals through take-out or from a delivery driver. In general, residents of Alabama are still encouraged to stay at home but not required to, under the new “Safer at Home” order issued by Gov. Kay Ivey during a press conference Tuesday morning at the State Capitol. The new order is in effect through May 15. It replaces the “Safe at Home” order that expires Thursday at 5 p.m. Read more.
Birmingham residents will be legally required to wear face masks in public starting May 1. The Birmingham City Council passed that legislation, sponsored by Mayor Randall Woodfin, on Tuesday; it’s the latest in a series of orders designed to slow the spread of COVID-19. Read more.
UPDATED — As Gov. Kay Ivey eases her COVID-19 restrictions on businesses, stores, beaches and medical procedures, the question that remains for some is - is it time to reopen Alabama?
Ivey, who announced a “Safer At Home” strategy that will begin at 5 p.m. Thursday, has had advice from those who are primarily concerned about health outcomes of the coronavirus and those who consider economics – the loss of jobs, the shuttering of businesses – just as important, if not more.
Although the team has reached the decision to begin reopening – while leaving some businesses, including restaurants and athletic facilities – not all in the state agree that it's time to reopen. Read more.
Should Gov. Ivey Loosen COVID-19 Restrictions? Not Yet, Retired UAB Public Health Professor Says
The Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee is expected to debate and vote on the 2021 General Fund budget on Tuesday. Legislative leaders late last week said their session, on pause since mid-March because of the coronavirus, would resume May 4. But Senate budget committee chairman Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Range, said that lawmakers need to set an example for the rest of the state. Read more.
WASHINGTON — All of Alabama members in the U.S. House of Representatives voted last week to approve a $484 billion package to help hospitals, small businesses, farms and other recipients cope with economic misfortune over the next few months of the coronavirus pandemic. Read More
