A new site distributing the COVID-19 virus vaccine has been opened on the east side of Legion Field. The site is open to anyone who is eligible under state guidelines, and no appointment is necessary. Read more.
The positive trend for COVID-19 in Alabama continued Thursday, with the state Department of Public Health reporting 427 new cases over the past 24 hours. There have been 513,138 cases of the coronavirus since the pandemic began a year ago. The state has averaged 441 cases a day over the past week, less than half the average of 964 one month earlier. The number of people being treated for COVID-19 in 111 Alabama hospitals stood at 397 on Wednesday. That is down from 422 a week ago and 776 on the same date in February. Read more.
WBHM After a fire destroyed their last apartment in 2019, Kenneth Tyrone King and his family recently saved up enough money to rent a new place in Birmingham. But the relief was short-lived. Bills, mostly medical, quickly began piling up at the new address. For King, 57, this was just the latest development in a cycle of debt. He has not had health insurance for years. He lost his most-recent job at a temp agency after having emergency open heart surgery in December. He barely has enough money for the two prescriptions that he needs each month. “I can afford one of them, but one of them, it’s like a $60 medication,” King said. “Those types of challenges, if I had affordable health care, or a health care plan, it would have at least covered some of it.” King falls in the coverage gap. He does not qualify for Medicaid and he cannot afford to buy a private insurance plan. If Alabama expanded Medicaid, that would mean opening up eligibility to people like him and other low-income adults who make up to 138% of the federal poverty level, which equates to less than $18,000 a year for a single adult. Read more.
Jefferson County Commissioner Sheila Tyson hosted a press conference Wednesday to bring attention to breast cancer and the need — despite the pandemic — for persons to be tested for this disease. The event was a reminder that fear of COVID-19 or the vaccines created to fend it off should not be reasons to forego a mammogram. “The coronavirus and breast cancer both are potentially deadly diseases,” said registered nurse Josie Dukes-Bland. “But you do not have to choose one over the other when it comes to treatment and diagnosis.” Read more.
Alabama’s COVID-19 numbers continue to improve, dropping to levels not seen since last summer. In Birmingham Watch’s periodic analysis of COVID data, the 7-day average of new cases reported by the Alabama Department of Public Health is down to 490.86 per day. That’s the lowest average seen since June 10 of last year, and a fall of better than 88% since the peak level on Jan. 10. The longer-term 14-day average is slightly higher at 521.86 new cases per day. Similarly, the death toll is also seeing a decline, with both the 7-day and 14-day moving averages dropping below 20 for the first time since last November. The 7-day mark stands at 17.71, its lowest since early December and down 88% from the record high set on Jan. 26. The 14-day average of 18.93 is off by about the same percentage from the peak in early February. Read more.
Eligible Alabamians in these 24 rural counties can receive a free COVID-19 vaccine beginning Tuesday. Read more.
Eligibility for COVID-19 vaccines expands this week in Alabama to include people 55 and over, people 16 and older with high-risk medical conditions, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and more critical workers. The qualifying medical conditions include cancer, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, smoking, obesity, sickle cell disease and heart conditions. “We have been concerned that many people at high risk and others engaged in close contact work have not been eligible to receive the vaccine yet, but with the additional vaccine supply we are better able to meet the needs of Alabama residents,” Gov. Kay Ivey said in a written statement. “Starting March 22, individuals can be assured of receiving the shots they have been patiently waiting to get.” Read more.
Beginning today, coronavirus vaccine eligibility has been extended to include people ages 55 and older, people 16 and older who have high-risk medical conditions, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and additional critical workers. That’s about 2 million more people becoming eligible for the vaccine, while the state receives between 110,000 and 120,000 first doses
The number of influenza cases has been extremely low this year, medical and public health officials say, in part thanks to protective measures that are being taken against Covid. And officials say they hope there will not be an increase in the number of flu cases when one of those measures -- the state’s mask mandate -- is lifted on April 9. "The flu season typically peaks in January and February, when the number of cases is through the roof," said UAB Family Medicine Dr. Stephen Russell. He said he can count on one hand the number of adult patients he has seen with flu this season. Read more.
Health officials in Alabama expect to expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to all adults by May 1, according to Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris. But he said that may be a challenge because many are reluctant to be vaccinated. In a Friday press conference, Harris said about one-third of adults in Alabama are hesitant to get the vaccine. “At this point, we’ve had enough demand out there that it’s hard to know if a county is not getting vaccinated … because they can’t find [the] vaccine, or is it because they don’t want to take the vaccine? I think we’re going to soon have enough product available that we’ll be able to make some determinations about that,” Harris said. The state plans to educate hesitant populations about the vaccine, but Harris said ultimately, friends and family will have the ability to “normalize” the vaccine. Read more.
