Roy Brook of Bessemer stood with the flag for two hours Friday morning at the eastern end of Railroad Park. Brook said he was expressing his solidarity with his fellow Alabamians and countrymen and expressing his optimism that the country will meet the challenge of the COVID-19 virus. Read more.
When Alyson Duncan returns home from the hospital where she works as a nurse, she is greeted by Daisy, her new 2-month-old boxer terrier mix. “Her howling is one of the funniest things,” said Duncan, who lives with her husband and their other dog. “We will cry laughing tears because the howling is just hysterical.” The Duncans are among those who chose to add new, temporary family members as they settled into their new daily routines during the coronavirus pandemic. Though Daisy is what’s considered an adoptable dog and wouldn’t usually be a foster candidate, she was one of the Greater Birmingham Humane Society’s many animals who were placed into temporary homes so the adoption center could be closed and repurposed as a pet pantry. The pet pantry, which opened April 2, and supplies food and supplies to residents in need because of the coronavirus shutdown. It rehomed more than 200 animals in its last days, and the animals that could not be put in a home were transferred to its animal clinic in Hoover. Read more.
Alabama Public Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris spoke with Alabama Daily News on Saturday about the state’s response to the coronavirus, its expected peak and the recent state stay-home order. Harris is an infectious disease specialist who now finds himself leading Alabama’s efforts to combat the most deadly pandemic in a century. We spoke at length about his work over the past several weeks, how the Department of Public Health is dealing with the unique challenges of COVID-19 and what led to the recent decision to order Alabamians to stay home except for essential needs. Read the Q&A
The Alabama Department of Public Health reported Sunday that 231 people were hospitalized statewide with COVID-19 diagnoses. Deaths in the state from the disease COVID-19 stood at 31, and authorities are investigating 14 other deaths of people who had been diagnosed with the virus. In total, the state has had 1,676 confirmed cases of the virus. Jefferson County accounted for 397 cases, with four deaths from the disease and five more involving people who were diagnosed with it. Read more.
The Alabama Department of Public Health reported early Sunday morning that 212 people were hospitalized statewide with COVID-19 diagnoses. Deaths in the state from the disease COVID-19 stood at 26, and authorities are investigating 18 other deaths of people who had been diagnosed with the virus. In total, the state has had 1,633 confirmed cases of the virus. Read more.
Alabama residents who need to renew their driver’s license during the coronavirus shutdown will have to do it online. Teenagers who have waited 16 or more years to get their first license will have to wait longer. These are just two of the ways the growing pandemic is making it tougher for people to obtain government services. With state and local governments forced to weigh public health against public services, the scale sometimes tilts toward health. This is true for services ranging from automobile tag renewals to court trials to in-person access to public meetings. Read more.
The Alabama Department of Public Health this morning raised the number of deaths in the state from COVID-19 to 26, up by five. Authorities are investigating 15 other deaths of people who had been diagnosed with the virus. The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 climbed today to 1,543, growing by more than 50% since Wednesday morning. One week ago, the state had 604 confirmed cases and three deaths. Read more.
The buildings are closed, but Jefferson County Superintendent Walter Gonsoulin says the school district will be open for business Monday. “This is not going to be traditional school, but we remain steadfast in our mission,” Gonsoulin said in a video message. “Educating students will continue.” In response to the spread of COVID-19, Gov. Kay Ivey
In her third trimester, Veronica Wehby-Upchurch is having to adjust her maternity plans. Because of the coronavirus outbreak, what she thought the final weeks of her pregnancy and birthing plan would look like could be much different. “There's a lot that's unknown and it's scary to think about that and how it might affect you and a brand new baby,” Wehby-Upchurch, of Birmingham, said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it does not know if COVID-19 causes complications during pregnancy or how it will affect the baby’s health. Read more.
The downtown COVID-19 testing site has changed its hours and will now be open 9 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. seven days a week. Patients must call 205-975-1881 before going for a test and speak with a provider, who will determine whether they should be tested. The call center hours now are 7 a.m. to 7
