The spread of COVID-19 and the strain it has placed on Alabama’s health care system has inspired a new coalition to push for Medicaid expansion in the state, but support from Republican leadership still seems doubtful. Read more.
Congressman Bradley Byrne, R-Mobile, on Thursday led a bi-partisan letter to Small Business Administration Administrator Jovita Carranza asking the agency to offer more help and guidance for those seeking Economic Injury Disaster Loans, or EIDLs. In March, the SBA began allowing states to apply for the EIDL. The loan program helps qualified businesses and non-profit organizations recover from economic losses tied to the abrupt economic downturn triggered by the COVID-19 disease and efforts to stop its spread. The program offers up to $2 million in assistance for an eligible small business, and advance grants of up to $10,000 are available. However, there are reports of “severe oversubscription” to the EIDL program and of the $10,000 advance grant being insufficient to meet the needs of businesses trying to survive in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the lawmakers wrote. Read more.
The number of people in Alabama who have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, as well as those who are reported to have died, have roughly doubled in eight days’ time, according to data from the Alabama Department of Public Health. As of Thursday afternoon, the number of reported deaths stood at 133, compared to 64 on April 7. The number of those tested positive rose to 4,345 Thursday; the total was 2,107 eight days prior. Read more.
Never more than Monday have I worried that Donald Trump spends too much time trying to defend his past actions and not enough on forging a plan to eradicate the coronavirus and return the country to normal. Read more.
Hospital chaplains usually show comfort to patients or their families, but at UAB that has changed. During the coronavirus pandemic, the pastoral care team spends a lot of time counseling health care workers who are on the front lines. Read more.
Crime isn’t taking a coronavirus holiday, but law enforcement statistics show it headed in a positive direction as more people shelter from the pandemic. In fact, streets in the Birmingham area and around the world are not only safer from crime so far in 2020, but also from automobile accidents. Evidence indicates, however, that domestic disturbance calls in some communities are increasing as people spend more hours together at home. Read more.
UPDATED --- Alabama’s cases of COVID-19 rose to 4,075 Tuesday and the number of people who have been hospitalized since the pandemic began reached 525. Reported deaths in the state are up to 118. The Alabama Department of Public Health has confirmed 75 of those deaths and is investigating the remainder of the cases, in which people who had been diagnosed with COVID-19 died. Read more.
The city of Birmingham expects to launch a service this week to safely transport people to coronavirus testing sites. It’s an initiative through Birmingham Strong, a public-private civic coalition spearheaded by the city. Read more.
Gov. Kay Ivey on Tuesday said Alabama's social distancing measures appear to be slowing the spread of the coronavirus, but it is too soon say when shuttered businesses could reopen. Ivey expects to have recommendations by Friday from a small-business task force chaired by Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth about how and when to allow different types of companies to resume operations. "And, as everybody knows, this is not a simple process like flipping on a light switch," Ivey said. Read more.
The state’s largest health insurer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, continues to waive cost-sharing, including co-pays, for those who need treatment for COVID-19. “We want our members to be assured that we are here for them as we navigate through this unprecedented time,” said Tim Vines, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama’s president, in a press release. “For our members diagnosed with COVID-19, we want them to have peace of mind knowing they have access to the care they need.” Read more.
