MONTGOMERY — Gov. Kay Ivey said on Tuesday that she has no plans as of now to issue a shelter-in-place order for the state to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. Read more.
The state’s four veterans homes so far have no confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to Assistant Veterans Affairs Commissioner Bob Horton. Read more.
Former Birmingham Mayor William Bell and his wife, Sharon, were strolling in Railroad Park on Tuesday afternoon, taking a change of pace from being self-quarantined indoors because of the COVID-19 threat. Bell said getting out is good, but people should observe social distances when they are out and about. Read more.
In the search for a drug treatment for COVID-19, prime interest has centered on remdesivir, a compound produced by Gilead Sciences that has its roots in a National Institutes of Health-funded center based at UAB.
Demand for the therapy has been so high – even before proof of the drug’s effectiveness has emerged from clinical trials – that Gilead officials on Sunday halted further access to individual patients requesting it under the FDA’s “compassionate use” status.
UAB researcher Richard Whitley, who helped develop the drug and heads the Antiviral Drug Discovery and Development Center, said he understood that the pharmaceutical company would still grant use of remdesivir through physician request even outside of a clinical trial.
Read more.
A Q&A with UAB antiviral researchers.
Richard Whitley, MD, director, and Stephanie Moore, PhD, associate director, of the Antiviral Drug Discovery and Development Center (AD3C) answer questions by Hank Black of BirminghamWatch about the University of Alabama at Birimingham's anti-viral research program. Read more.
The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Alabama climbed today to 242, including 91 in Jefferson County and 27 in Shelby County. The Alabama Department of Public Health's afternoon update showed cases of COVID-19 confirmed in 26 counties. Since a report earlier in the day, Autauga was added to the list of counties where the disease was diagnosed, with one case there. Read more.
A “shelter in place” ordinance is now in effect in Birmingham. The order, passed by the City Council Tuesday evening, is intended to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by effectively instituting a curfew on all residents — with numerous exceptions. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said the ordinance was intended to address those who were not in compliance with the city’s previous recommendations. “A lot of people are treating this as a vacation,” he said. “This is not a vacation. … We need to now pivot from recommendation to full enforcement if the ultimate goal is to save lives.” There are numerous exceptions outlined in the ordinance — notably for people seeking “essential services or commodities;” public safety officials and first responders; utility, cable, and telecommunications companies; federal, state, county or city government employees; and the homeless. Read more. Ivey Says No Shelter-in-Place Order Needed for State Right Now; Health Officials Search for Extra Medical Resources
UPDATED — Alabama lawmakers are expected to be back in Montgomery March 31, but how long they’ll be able to work and what they’ll be able to do in the middle of a public health emergency is in question. “I can’t say in the present situation we can pass budgets,” Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, R-Anniston, told Alabama Daily News on Monday. “The big question is, how long will this last? It’s one thing for a couple of weeks; It’s another if it lasts for months.” As local and state governments try to stop the spread of the coronavirus and businesses slow or shutter temporarily, the impact on state revenue is expected to be significant. How bad that will be will depend on how long people are asked to stay home, state leaders said this week. Read more.
The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Alabama reached 215 today, with Jefferson and Shelby counties accouting for more than half. The Alabama Department of Public Health's morning update today showed cases of COVID-19 confirmed in 25 of the state's 67 counties , with 90 cases in Jefferson County and 24 in Shelby County. Read more.
The Alabama Department of Public Health has established a phone number and email for residents to ask general questions about COVID-19. Read more.
