Science

Alabama Starts Reopening; Birmingham Requires Face Coverings and Institutes Nighttime Curfew

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.

by Robert Carter

It Takes a Community

The Levite Jewish Community Center urges people to turn their focus outward a bit to help others in need.

by Tom Gordon

Alabama’s COVID-19 Case Numbers Rise Significantly, but Rate of Increase Slows Slightly

As Alabama is set to begin a slow relaxation of restrictions in daily life made because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rate of increase in the number of new cases in Alabama has lessened a bit — but not enough to satisfy one of the “gating criteria” in President Donald Trump’s “Opening Up America Again” plan for phased comebacks. The number of new cases added to the state’s cumulative total each day has fluctuated, with numbers of new cases in the past seven days ranging from 222 on April 23 to 118 this past Monday. As of late Wednesday night, the Alabama Department of Public Health reports that there are 6,925 cases COVID-19, an increase of 1,315 from a week before. Deaths in Alabama attributed to the virus stand at 262, which is 65 more deaths in the past seven days. Read more.

by Robert Carter

UAB Drug Remdesivir Is First to Block the COVID-19 Virus, May Become Standard of Care. Fauci “Optimistic.”

Remdesivir, a drug developed through a federal grant to UAB, may be the first effective therapy for treating severely ill COVID-19 patients, early analysis of a large federally sponsored study found this week. The drug reduced hospital stays by one-third and produced fewer adverse side effects, according to two UAB doctors who participated in the international trial. Read more.

by Hank Black

COVID-19 Cases Up by 211, 14 More Die

The number of COVID-19 cases in Alabama had risen to 6,750 late Tuesday night, an increase of 211 cases from 24 hours before. Fourteen more people died in that period, bringing total deaths in the state to 242. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Jefferson County Reopening Courthouses Friday, With Some Restrictions

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.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Senate Committee OKs $2.38B General Fund Budget

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.

by Mary Sell, Todd Stacy and Caroline Beck Alabama Daily News

Ivey Issues New ‘Safer at Home’ Order, Businesses, Stores, Beaches to Open

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.

by Caroline Beck, Alabama Daily News

Gov. Ivey Eases COVID-19-Related Restrictions on Businesses, Stores and Beaches

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.

by Robert Carter

Small Business Loans Site Crashes Amid Flood of New PPP Applications

Alabama bankers couldn’t access the federal Paycheck Protection Program application site on Monday so that small businesses hurt by the coronavirus could apply for the loans. Alabama Bankers Association President Scott Latham said the U.S. Small Business Administration promised that its systems would be prepared for action on Monday, but they were not. “Despite the agency’s efforts to be ready, it has failed,” Latham said in a press release. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch