COVID-19

News / Health

Governor: Alabama will lift parts of “stay-at-home” order Thursday

Gov. Kay Ivey on Tuesday announced all retail businesses can reopen at 50 percent capacity at 5 p.m. on Thursday, but close-contact businesses will remain closed for now as the state continues to work to keep Alabamians safe from COVID-19. In addition to easing restrictions on retail businesses, Ivey said during a press conference Tuesday … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

April 28, 2020

Ivey expected to announce reopening plan Tuesday

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, on a conference call Monday, told legislators that she will announce her plan to reopen the economy. Ivey was joined by her chief of staff, former Congressman Joe Bonner; State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris; State Finance Officer Kelly Butler; Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington; and Legislative Liaison William Filmore. Ivey told … Continued

Brandon Moseley and Nicole Jones

April 28, 2020

Roby urges public to follow all the regulations put in place to fight the coronavirus

Congresswoman Martha Roby on Monday said that the directives and public health orders to fight the coronavirus are beginning to change, but urged constituents to continue to follow all the regulations put in place by our government officials. “The current directives and public health orders established to combat the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic will begin to … Continued

Brandon Moseley

April 28, 2020

Ivey is grateful that the Payroll Protection Program is taking applications again

The Small Business Administration’s Payroll Protection Program resumed accepting loan applications Monday after Congress passed and the president signed legislation last week replenishing the funds in the PPP, which ran out of money on April 16. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey urged Alabama small businesses to quickly take advantage of the program. “Alabama small businesses are … Continued

Brandon Moseley

April 28, 2020

Alabama health experts: State is not ready to fully lift stay-at-home restrictions

As Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is set to announce updates to her stay-at-home order Tuesday, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state has reached 6,539 with at least 118 new cases reported so far Monday. Meanwhile, 25 public health experts surveyed by the Alabama Political Reporter say Alabama is not ready to fully … Continued

Chip Brownlee

April 27, 2020

Jones applauds feds taking up his suggestion to speed COVID-19 relief payments

U.S. Senator Doug Jones, D-Alabama, on Monday thanked President Donald Trump’s administration for following Jones’ request to speed up emergency payments to Americans struggling amid the COVID-19 crisis through the use of debit cards. Jones and Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, on April 7 wrote a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin expressing concern that CARES Act … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

April 27, 2020

UAB: Two new mobile COVID-19 testing sites in Birmingham, but testing overall still too low

The University of Alabama at Birmingham on Monday announced two new mobile testing sites for Birmingham meant to boost COVID-19 testing for those outside of downtown. “We know that not all patients and not all citizens in Birmingham and Jefferson County want to or can come to a downtown drive through testing site, so we … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

April 27, 2020

Supply shortages still inhibiting widespread testing in Alabama

The total number of people tested for COVID-19 in Alabama, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health, jumped by more than 18,000 on Saturday. It was the single largest increase in the total number of tests reported in a day since the state began performing tests in early March. The total number of reported … Continued

Chip Brownlee

April 27, 2020

Governor expected to update stay-at-home order Tuesday

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is expected to address the status of her stay-at-home order Tuesday morning at a press conference at the state capitol, according to several lawmakers who were on a conference call with the governor Monday and State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris. The governor’s office says the press conference will be at … Continued

Chip Brownlee

April 27, 2020

SBA again accepting Paycheck Protection Program applications

The U.S. Small Business Administration on Monday began once again accepting applications in a program meant to help small businesses keep workers during the COVID-19 crisis. The first round of $349 billion in the Paycheck Protection Program loans ran out in just 13 days, and not without controversy. At least $500 million of that money … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

April 27, 2020