Alabama Health Department Expands COVID-19 Restrictions

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2020/03/Screen_Shot_2020-03-17_at_12.11.42_PM-e1584465135386.png
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:731;s:6:"height";i:411;s:4:"file";s:64:"2020/03/Screen_Shot_2020-03-17_at_12.11.42_PM-e1584465135386.png";s:5:"sizes";a:8:{s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:64:"Screen_Shot_2020-03-17_at_12.11.42_PM-e1584465135386-140x140.png";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:64:"Screen_Shot_2020-03-17_at_12.11.42_PM-e1584465135386-336x189.png";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:189;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:62:"Screen_Shot_2020-03-17_at_12.11.42_PM-e1584465135386-80x80.png";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:64:"Screen_Shot_2020-03-17_at_12.11.42_PM-e1584465135386-600x338.png";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:64:"Screen_Shot_2020-03-17_at_12.11.42_PM-e1584465135386-300x300.png";s:5:"width";i:300;s:6:"height";i:300;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:64:"Screen_Shot_2020-03-17_at_12.11.42_PM-e1584465135386-553x311.png";s:5:"width";i:553;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:64:"Screen_Shot_2020-03-17_at_12.11.42_PM-e1584465135386-470x265.png";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:64:"Screen_Shot_2020-03-17_at_12.11.42_PM-e1584465135386-125x125.png";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_wp_attachment_backup_sizes] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:9:{s:9:"full-orig";a:3:{s:5:"width";i:732;s:6:"height";i:519;s:4:"file";s:41:"Screen_Shot_2020-03-17_at_12.11.42_PM.png";}s:14:"thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:49:"Screen_Shot_2020-03-17_at_12.11.42_PM-140x140.png";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:11:"medium-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:49:"Screen_Shot_2020-03-17_at_12.11.42_PM-336x238.png";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:238;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:14:"wbhm-icon-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:47:"Screen_Shot_2020-03-17_at_12.11.42_PM-80x80.png";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:49:"Screen_Shot_2020-03-17_at_12.11.42_PM-600x338.png";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:25:"wbhm-featured-square-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:49:"Screen_Shot_2020-03-17_at_12.11.42_PM-300x300.png";s:5:"width";i:300;s:6:"height";i:300;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:23:"wbhm-featured-home-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:49:"Screen_Shot_2020-03-17_at_12.11.42_PM-439x311.png";s:5:"width";i:439;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:27:"wbhm-featured-carousel-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:49:"Screen_Shot_2020-03-17_at_12.11.42_PM-374x265.png";s:5:"width";i:374;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:19:"post-thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:49:"Screen_Shot_2020-03-17_at_12.11.42_PM-125x125.png";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}}
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Miranda Fulmore
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] =>  WBHM
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

)
1661737294 
1584452789

The Alabama Department of Public Health announced Tuesday plans to expand a previously announced health order in Jefferson County to surrounding areas.

The new directives will now affect Tuscaloosa, Walker, Blount, St. Clair and Shelby counties.‬ The guidelines prohibit crowds of more than 25 people and on-site eating and drinking at restaurants and bars for at least a week.

Alabama Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris strongly encouraged other counties across the state to follow suit.

In addition, gatherings at senior centers are prohibited effective Wednesday, and private schools will close. Preschools and childcare centers with 12 or more children will also close until April 6. ‬

This comes as the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Alabama continues to rise. As of Tuesday morning, the state had 36 cases of COVID-19, with 20 of them found in Jefferson County. Harris says those numbers are bound to increase statewide.

“We understand that there can be a testing bias in Jefferson County because that’s where most of the testing is occurring, where most people are able to get access … but as we roll out testing [in other parts of the state] I think we’ll find additional cases,” Harris says.

ADPH expects to create up to 10 new screening sites across the state operating by the end of the week.

“The limiting step has been being able to obtain supplies like some protective equipment and swabs for testing,” Harris says.

 

Middle schoolers are lauded for protecting younger kids during church shooting

Two children were killed, and 18 children between the ages 6 and 15 were injured by a shooter. Middle schoolers acted heroically to protect others, a parent said.

Federal judge says Kari Lake can’t fire Voice of America director

A federal judge has ruled that Trump administration official Kari Lake can't unilaterally fire the director of Voice of America.

Public media stations in rural America say emergency-alert funding is in jeopardy

Without Congressionally-approved funding, public media stations say communities will be left with aging infrastructure amid growing risks from extreme weather.

Video: Echoes of Katrina – Two decades of struggle and strength

NPR station photographer and New Orleans native Tyrone Turner travelled back to Louisiana to document the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

The federal government is taking over D.C.’s Union Station. What does that mean?

The Department of Transportation says it will be "reclaiming management" of the transportation hub, which it has owned since the 1980s. D.C.'s mayor says that would be an "amazing initiative."

Whatever happened to the women in the ‘No Sex for Fish’ group?

NPR first wrote about the group "No Sex for Fish" in 2019 — Kenyan women out to end the practice of trading sex to a fisherman in exchange for his catch to sell. Since then they're faced tribulations.

More Coronavirus Coverage