Coronavirus

Alabama Adds 300 COVID-19 Cases, 32 Die Tuesday

Thirty-two people died of the novel coronavirus in Alabama on Tuesday and 300 new cases were added, bringing the state’s totals since the pandemic began to 435 deaths and 10,464 cases. Men and blacks have died at disproportionately high rates. Blacks make up 44.2% of the deaths, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health, although the state’s population is just 26.8% black, according to the Census Bureau. Men make up 55.2% of the COVID-19 deaths but 48.4 percent of the state’s population. Read more.

23 Deaths at Alabama VA Home Attributed to COVID-19

Twenty-three residents at the Bill Nichols State Veterans Home in Alexander City have died from the COVID-19 virus, the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs said Tuesday. There are 41 active resident cases of the virus, according to department spokesman Bob Horton. Read more.

Face Covering Law in Birmingham Extended Through Next Week; Curfew Lifted

Birmingham’s public safety curfew is no longer in effect, but the ordinance requiring masks or face coverings to be worn in public has been extended for another week. The Birmingham City Council made those changes in response to Gov. Kay Ivey’s amended “safer-at-home” order, which went into effect Monday. The new order significantly loosened restrictions on public gatherings and allowing non-essential businesses, such as bars, restaurants and salons, to reopen “subject to social-distancing and sanitation rules.” Read more.

Restaurants, Gyms and Salons Reopening Slowly Under New COVID-19 Emergency Order

10,000+ COVID-19 Cases Have Been Confirmed in Alabama

Alabama surpassed 10,000 cases of COVID-19 Monday and deaths topped 400. The Alabama Department of Public Health reported late Monday night that the state has had 10,164 confirmed cases of the disease since the pandemic began. That was a 275 case increase from late Sunday. Ten more people died Monday from COVID-19, bringing the total for the pandemic to 403. Over the weekend, the latest period reported by the Health Department, 423 people were hospitalized because of COVID-19. Since March, a total of 1,268 have been hospitalized with the disease. Read more.

Local Group Effort Seeks to Overcome Barriers of Legal Status, Language to Offer COVID-19 Testing

In what one health researcher called an “amazing group effort” during the coronavirus crisis, several organizations have come together to devise a unified strategy to reach Latino and other non-English-speaking residents of Jefferson County with information and support. The need was evident – in a pandemic, all sectors of society are at risk of being infected and of infecting others. But the Latino community carries additional burdens. They have high risks of pre-existing conditions, including the nation’s highest incidence of diabetes, placing them at greater risk of dying from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Almost 85% of Latinos have Zoom-proof jobs and cannot work from home – and they work on the front lines of the viral threat in jobs predominately classified as “essential” in hospitals, nursing homes, restaurants, construction and public works. To compound things, they are least likely of all major demographic groups to have health insurance. Read more.

Restaurants, Gyms and Salons Reopening Slowly Under New COVID-19 Emergency Order

At Bogue’s Restaurant, a longtime fixture on the city’s Southside, walk-in dining got off to a less-than-roaring start on Monday, the first day the eatery could reopen under the state’s amended Safer at Home order. By early afternoon, about 15 customers had gone in for breakfast or lunch, a number well below the curbside orders the eatery had been getting each day that it had been closed to indoor dining under the state’s earlier Stay at Home order. “We’ve been super slow today,” said restaurant manager Angela Chaffins. “I think it will pick up once everybody sees they can come in and everything’s safe.” Gov. Kay Ivey in March closed nonessential businesses in an effort to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has sickened more than 10,000 Alabamians. Now the state is being reopened in phases. Ivey announced Friday that restaurant dining rooms, salons and barber shops, and athletic facilities could join the list of businesses that may reopen as of Monday. She also removed restrictions to allow groups of more than 10 people to gather. But the order also places restrictions on those businesses and gatherings. Her order still requires people to maintain social distances of six feet or more between themselves and others and it requires thorough hygiene measures be taken. In Birmingham, the city’s ordinance requiring people to wear masks or other face coverings also is in force through Friday. Read more.

Alabama is Nearing the 10,000 Mark for COVID-19 Cases

COVID-19 cases in Alabama rose to 9,889 Sunday night and deaths to 393. That’s an increase of 221 cases and three deaths from the day before as the state prepares to loosen social distancing requirements Monday. Read more.

Welcome Back! Restaurants, Salons, Gyms May Reopen Monday – With Conditions

Restaurant dining rooms, salons and barber shops, and athletic facilities join the list of businesses that may reopen today, and groups of more than 10 people are allowed to gather. But things are not going to look, or operate, they way they used to – at least not yet. The state’s amended Safer-at-Home order is in effect as of today and, while it allows more businesses to reopen, it requires people to maintain social distances of six feet or more between themselves and others. In Birmingham, the city’s ordinance requiring people to wear masks or other face coverings also is in force through Friday. Health and government officials issued cautions Sunday asking people to remain vigilant to avoid contracting the virus that has killed 393 and sickened 9,889 Alabamians to date. “When it comes to the reopening of Alabama, we must choose data over dates,” Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said in an open letter to the city. “Here’s the reality: the cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in our state. In fact, they increased by 20% in Alabama last week.” Read more.

Alabama Reports 9,668 COVID-19 Cases

COVID-19 cases in Alabama rose to 9,668 Saturday night, an increase of 283 cases from the day before. The Alabama Department of Public Health also reported that deaths from the disease have risen to 390, up seven from Friday night. Read more.

Lawmakers Send Ivey $7.2B Education Budget, Plan to Return to Deal With Possible Veto

MONTGOMERY — In a rare Saturday meeting, Alabama lawmakers approved a $7.2 billion education budget, finishing the heavy lifting in a legislative session derailed by the coronavirus outbreak. They left the capital city but expect to be back in the State House for special sessions on multiple matters later this year. State House leaders also plan to call back lawmakers May 18 should they need to react to possible amendments by Gov. Kay Ivey or a veto of the state General Fund. Ivey and lawmakers have wrangled in recent weeks about who gets to allocate nearly $1.8 billion in coronavirus relief funding from the federal government. Ivey last week agreed to cede responsibility and told lawmakers she wanted details on how every penny would be spent before she'd call them back for a special session to allocate it. The Legislature approved a General Fund budget that gives $200 million of the funds to state agencies to spend immediately, something she told them not to do. Read more.