Health

Whether Alabama’s health care system will be able to handle the coronavirus pandemic will depend on its people. The infectious disease specialist leading the UAB Medicine’s response to the coronavirus outbreak urged Alabamians to take social-distancing measures seriously to blunt the exponential growth of coronavirus cases in the state so as to not overload health … Continued

An employee at East Alabama Medical Center in Lee County has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, a state health official said Monday.  The positive test was added Sunday evening to the Alabama Department of Public Health’s website, but the hospital announced Monday the person was a staff member.  State health officer Dr. Scott Harris … Continued

Below is a transcript of State Health Officer Scott Harris’ and EMA Director Brian Hastings’ press conference on Monday, March 16, about COVID-19. State Health Officer Scott Harris On the current situation: We wanted to spend a little bit of time just updating you on the situation in Alabama with regards to COVID-19 and wanted … Continued

The Alabama Department of Public Health on Monday issued more restrictive guidance, cautioning against gatherings of more than 50 people and none if a person cannot stay at least 6 feet from others. The new recommendations also included a suggestion that the public should consider canceling or delaying out-of-state travel plans. The department’s recommendations come … Continued

Coronavirus, or COVID-19, is a worldwide pandemic. It is now in Alabama. There is no reason to panic, but fear and anxiety are driving many to horde everything from toilet paper to Ibuprofen, leaving bare shelves from Walmart to the local pharmacy. Cautious vigilance is more the order of the day than panic. [visual-link-preview encoded=”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”] … Continued

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will allow all public schools in Alabama to provide food for students during the mandatory coronavirus (COVID-19) closures, according to a congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives. U.S. Congressman from Alabama Robert Alderholt tweeted on Sunday that the USDA granted Alabama a waiver for the National School Lunch Act … Continued

Congressman Bradley Byrne, R-Montrose, thanked President Donald Trump for his efforts to improve the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, but said that he still could not support it. “Tonight, I was asked to vote on a 110-page bill that spends billions of dollars and contains numerous mandates on small businesses only 26 minutes after receiving … Continued

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has directed department heads to advise workers to work from home, if possible, in response to the growing COVID-19 threat. “Because the safety of state employees is of utmost concern, each department director is authorized to advise employees to work from home if possible,” Gov. Ivey wrote to all state department … Continued

Congresswoman Terri Sewell, D-Selma, on Saturday commended the House passage of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The package includes many provisions to protect workers and stimulate the economy during the COVID-19 Coronavirus public health crisis. “In the face of this ongoing pandemic, it is critical that the federal government is providing Alabama families with … Continued