Alabama’s cases of COVID-19 stood at 5,134 today, with 175 deaths. The Alabama Department of Public Health has confirmed 144 of those deaths resulted from COVID-19 and is investigating the remainder of the cases, in which people who had been diagnosed with COVID-19 died. Read more.
In Alabama, COVID-19 is taking a significantly greater toll on black residents than on whites and the population in general, with a higher rate of disease incidence and a higher rate of fatalities as a result.
And what’s happening here reflects what’s happening all over the country, as acknowledged by a growing chorus of medical experts who are pointing out that COVID-19 is having a pronounced impact on the black community compared to the population in general.
For many people this revelation comes as a shock. Not so for Dr. Mona Fouad, director of the UAB Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Center, who has developed years of research telling her to expect this pandemic to hit black communities harder.
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CORONAVIRUS
The Rumor: Black Americans Are Not Affected as Much by the Coronavirus Pandemic.
As evidence mounts that black Americans are feeling a disproportionate weight of the coronavirus pandemic, some are unaware of an ironic rumor that has now been debunked. That rumor held that black people were immune or more resistant to COVID-19. Citylab.com characterized the rumor as an attempt at humor, with the March 14 headline, “Why You Should Stop Joking That Black People are Immune to Coronavirus.” But the rumor persists. According to the newspaper The Baltimore Sun, as recently as April 14, “Baltimore officials are planning a targeted ad campaign to reach the city’s black residents in hopes of combating rumors that black people cannot get the new coronavirus, the city’s health commissioner announced Tuesday.” Read more.
Prior to March and the COVID-19 outbreak in Alabama, Dr. Beverly Jordan’s medical practice in Enterprise did not conduct online telemedicine visits with patients. But in a recent week, Professional Medical Associates conducted 30 remote visits with patients who either suspected they had COVID-19 or have pre-existing conditions and were trying to avoid the virus by staying home. “This outbreak has clearly pushed telemedicine in this state,” Jordan said. Read more.
The head of the Alabama Hospital Association says he’s confident the state's hospitals will not go over capacity in dealing with COVID-19 patients. “I'm feeling optimistic that as long as we practice social distancing, we're going to be okay as a state,” said Dr. Donald Williamson, president and CEO of the association. Read more.
Alabama’s cases of COVID-19 stood at 5,008 today, with 168 deaths. The Alabama Department of Public Health has confirmed 113 of those deaths resulted from COVID-19 and is investigating the remainder of the cases, in which people who had been diagnosed with COVID-19 died. Since the pandemic began, 641 people have been hospitalized with the disease. Read more.
There's a tension between the social distancing measure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and the economic cost that's causing. The Harvard Club of Birmingham took up that issue in a formal debate this week. Read more.
Vernecia Fletcher, a veteran manager at Washee Quickee, a car detailing and U-Haul rental business in Birmingham, says COVID-19 has helped U-Haul rentals but has slowed the car detailing side of the business and caused layoffs. Read more.
The Alabama Department of Corrections on Friday reported the first three confirmed cases of COVID-19 within its prisons. One of the diagnosed inmates, a 66-year-old with a terminal illness, died Thursday, but an official cause of death has not yet been determined, the ADOC said in a statement on its website. Read more.
Many currently shuttered businesses in Alabama could reopen over the next few weeks under new recommendations from a task force created by Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth. Some establishments such as restaurants, hair salons, child care centers and small retail stores would open immediately under the plan, while others such as medical services, casinos, gyms and entertainment venues would need to wait until May 1. The state's beaches would also open May 1 and youth sports could resume starting May 11, under the plan from the Small Business Emergency Task Force, which was formed by Ainsworth earlier this month. The recommendations have been sent to Gov. Kay Ivey, who said she would take them into consideration when formulating next steps in Alabama's response to the coronavirus outbreak. The state remains under a stay-at-home order limiting residents to only essential errands until April 30. Read more. Related: Is Stay-in-Place Currently A Wise Policy For Alabama? The Harvard Club of Birmingham Debates.
