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Bill to Allow Churches and Small Businesses to Stay Open During Emergencies Goes to Governor

The Alabama Legislature on Thursday approved a bill that would allow churches and small businesses to remain open during states of emergency. It now goes to the governor. House Bill 103 by Rep. Jamie Kiel, R-Russellville, would allow businesses and places of worship to remain open as long as they comply with any emergency order, rules or regulations issued by the governor and state or local agencies. It would do away with the idea of “essential businesses.” Kiel has said small local retailers shouldn’t have been forced to close last year under public health orders while big box stores remained open. Democrats called the bill dangerous and said it could lead to super-spreader events in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, led Senate Democrats in a filibuster of the bill, arguing it put business interests over public health. Read more.

by Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

Coronavirus Numbers Show Slight Increase in Thursday Update

The decline in Alabama's COVID-19 figures leveled off Thursday as the number of new cases and individuals in hospitals ticked up slightly from earlier in the week. The Alabama Department of Public Health reported 478 new cases in its daily update. That is up from 361 cases reported Tuesday and 408 on Wednesday. The daily average over the past weeks stood at 390 cases, up slightly from the previous day's average of 382 but below the figure of 441 a week earlier. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Alabama’s New COVID Case Averages Drop to Levels Not Seen Since June

As Alabama’s mandate on wearing face masks comes to a close, the numbers for new COVID cases and deaths continue to fall, with new-case averages now below those last reported in June of last year. 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 now at 382.43 per day, a drop of more than 100 over the past seven days. It’s the first time that average has dropped below 400 since June 9, 2020. The longer-term 14-day average, which is less susceptible to fluctuations from data spikes, is now at 436.94 new cases per day. The last time this average was that low was on June 11. The average is down by 85 cases per day over the past week, or 16.3%. Read more.

by Robert Carter

One Home, Many Generations: States Addressing COVID Risk Among Families

COVID-19 poses an increased threat to the 18% of Americans who live in multigenerational households, according to an analysis by the Center for Public Integrity. The analysis of every county in the United States shows that people of color, who are at greater risk from the virus for a variety of factrors, a far more likelky to be living in the same home as older relatives. A handful of states have reconized the threat to multigenerational households and have prioritized the distribution of vaccines according. The state of Washington was the first to put such households near the top of its COVID-19 vaccine priority list. Read more.

by April Simpson, Susan Ferriss, Taylor Johnston, Pratheek Rebala, Center for Public Integrity

Daily Averages, Positivity Rates for COVID-19 Continue to Improve

There were 442 new cases of COVID-19 in Alabama in Friday's update by the state Department of Public Health, dropping the daily average for the past week to 429. That was the lowest seven-day average since a count of 425 cases a day last June 8. The figure has dropped from a high of 4,280 cases a day on Jan. 10. The state has recorded 513,580 cases since the pandemic began last March. ADPH listed 19 deaths in the 24-hour update, bringing the total to 10,523 over the course of the pandemic. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

JeffCo Commissioner Applauds Employees for Actions During COVID War

Jefferson County Commission President Jimmie Stephens closed today’s commission meeting with gratitude for county employees and staff who fought their way through the “wartime” environment of the pandemic. “It was a wartime atmosphere,” Stephens said. “We were at war with this virus. It actually changed our day-to-day lives and how we conducted business. I wanted to commend and thank our county commission and our county staff for being able to stay on top of this wartime environment and to be able to win as many battles as we have. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

COVID-19 Numbers Continue to Drop in Alabama

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.

by BirminghamWatch

Don’t Let Fear of COVID Open the Door to Breast Cancer, Officials Warn

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.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.
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