COVID-19 pandemic in Alabama
On January 22, the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) asked healthcare providers to conduct screening of patients seeking care for influenza-like illnesses with travel to Wuhan, China, and said the "Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to believe the risk of 2019-nCoV to the American public at large remains low at this time.
[7][8] On February 21, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that an Anniston facility would be used as a COVID-19 quarantine center; those plans were cancelled two days later.
[9][10] On February 28, the Alabama Department of Public Health recommended individuals protect themselves from COVID-19 by getting a flu shot and "other normal precautions".
[11] On March 2, the Alabama Department of Public Health advised individuals to "wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your face, cover coughs and sneezes, stay home when you are ill, and practice social distancing strategies".
[16][17][18] That same day, Governor Ivey declared a state of emergency due to the spread of the coronavirus, and announced that all schools would be closed from March 18 until April 6.
[31] Tuscaloosa city mayor Walt Maddox issued a city-wide curfew, lasting from 10:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m. each day, effective March 27 to April 3.
The Tuscaloosa stay-at-home order (the second in the state) came after Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall's opinion published on the same day that provided cities and counties with more authority to combat the pandemic.
[34] On March 27, all "non-essential businesses" in the state were ordered to be closed until April 17, including barbershops, furniture stores, gyms, casinos, theaters, arcades, night clubs, salons and spas.
Governor Ivey again refused to issue a state-wide shelter-in-place order, saying "I have the responsibility to look statewide and in this case, one size does not fit all" and that she has to "keep an eye on the economy"; she added that she would not object to county and city-level containment efforts.
[37] Archbishop Thomas John Rodi of the Archdiocese of Mobile and Bishop Robert Joseph Baker of the Diocese of Birmingham continued the suspension of public Mass in Alabama through April 18, meaning no Easter Sunday Mass on April 12, in what Rodi called a "painful decision".
[43] In response, Ivey ordered a fifth Supplemental State of Emergency (the third was on March 23 and the fourth was on March 27) to reduce red tape for healthcare providers, including allowing certified registered nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, physician assistants, and anesthesia assistants to practice in a licensed health care facility.
She also ordered the state board to adopt emergency rules to allow expedited reinstatement of medical licenses; moved to expand the capacity of health care facilities, and moved to allow local jails to release probation or parole violators who have been in custody for more than 20 days without a hearing.
[47] Also on April 3, Ivey issued a proclamation that granted temporary protection from enforcement of evictions and foreclosures, but that order expired on June 1.
[55] On June 16, 2020, the city council of Montgomery controversially voted 4–4 on an ordinance to require that masks be worn in public gatherings of 25 people or more.
The next day, by the advice of health officials, Mayor Steven Reed overruled the tie vote and enacted the mandate via executive order.
[58] Governor Kay Ivey extended a mandatory mask order to January 22 as the state hits a record 2,000 hospitalizations and 3,395 new infections on December 8.
[64] The debut of the Minor League Baseball team, the Rocket City Trash Pandas, was scheduled for April 9, 2020, but was postponed indefinitely.
