Concerns about the coronavirus will keep lawmakers out of the State House another week, their planned resumption of the legislative session now May 4, as reported first by Inside Alabama Politics. The session has been on hold since mid-March and lawmakers had hoped to be back next Tuesday. Read more.
Cases of COVID-19 have been reported in more than 70 Alabama nursing homes, including a veterans home, and officials say they expect the numbers to increase. Seventy-three nursing homes in 39 counties have reported at least one COVID-19 positive resident or employee, Alabama Nursing Home Association spokesman John Matson said on Wednesday. Read more.
The number of reported deaths in Alabama attributed to the COVID-19 virus has almost doubled in the past nine days, but that’s a slight improvement over numbers from earlier in April.
The BirminghamWatch weekly analysis of data from the Alabama Department of Health’s daily reports shows that the total reported deaths surpassed 200 for the first time Wednesday. The total of 201 was almost twice what was reported nine days prior, when 102 deaths were reported on April 13. That number was double the 50 deaths reported April 7, seven days beforehand, so the rate of doubling is slowing down. Read more.
Several members of Alabama's congressional delegation sent recommendations to Gov. Kay Ivey this week on how to gradually reopen the state's economy, including specific concerns in their districts. Each representative’s report consisted of input from various business owners, state lawmakers, medical health officials and community leaders. Ivey requested the input last week. Read more.
The statewide closure of schools has prompted educators to find ways to add to their teaching capabilities during the coronavirus pandemic. As part of that effort, two companies worked in partnership last month to create a digital resource portal for Alabama educators, parents and students from pre-kindergarten through high school. Publishers’ Warehouse, in partnership with EBSCO Information Services, created EBSCOed to pull together online and published resources purchased by the state. Read more.
Alabama reported 5,677 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today, with deaths increasing to 197. Since the pandemic began, 768 people have been hospitalized with the disease in Alabama. Read more.
Monday was the day that medical forecasters had said the number of coronavirus cases in Alabama would peak. Whether it did peak is still to be seen, but State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said Tuesday, “dawn may be breaking soon.” Read more.
Divorce lawyer Frances Ross Nolan, a partner at the Birmingham firm Nolan Byers, remembers hearing about the coronavirus back in February. It was this sort of vague notion there was this thing out there. Then she received an email from a client whose kids were scheduled to go on a cruise with the other parent. The mom was concerned about the virus. “That was probably the first work-related, bring it into this universe experience that I had,” Nolans says. “That email was March 4th.” By middle of the month, Nolan, like so many others, shut down the office and began working remotely. The COVID-19 pandemic has been an issue for every corner of the legal world. Jury trials in Jefferson County are on hold. The Alabama Supreme Court has suspended most in-person matters as well. It’s a challenge for those in family law because many meetings tend to happen in-person. But they’ve been able to keep practicing with a few adjustments. Read more.
A one-day drive through COVID-19 testing clinic will be in operation Wednesday (April 22) in Blount County, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health. Read more.
The city of Birmingham is working closely with Alabama health officials to determine when the city’s economy will reopen. At a press conference Tuesday, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin offered updates on the city’s fight against the coronavirus. Woodfin said it’s important for residents to continue following the stay-at-home order as local and state officials take the next steps to address the economic crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Woodfin was joined by Wesley Willeford, medical director of disease control with the Jefferson County Department of Health. Willeford said the number of new coronavirus cases is decreasing each day. He said that’s due to social distancing efforts and the work of the community, as residents limit interaction with each other. Read more.
