Birmingham Under Shelter-In-Place Order
The Birmingham City Council voted Tuesday to require a shelter-in-place order until midnight on April 3.
The order, filed by Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, puts restrictions on where residents can go outside their home. Under the order, residents can leave their home only to perform essential activities, including:
- visiting a doctor or veterinarian office
- obtaining medical supplies or medication
- buying groceries for themselves or others
- providing care for minors, elderly, dependents or those with disabilities
- returning to their home from outside the city
- traveling to their place of residence outside the city
- traveling to or from a place of business which provides essential services
- engaging in legally mandated government purposes
Woodfin says he proposed the order after the University of Alabama at Birmingham reported an increase in the number of patients admitted to the hospital.
“At one of our hospitals, UAB, 45 cases of people have been hospitalized, 81 people are under observation and at least 18 people are on ventilators,” he said.
UAB has seen an exponential increase in the number of #COVID19 patients over the past several days. The hospital has isolated 45 confirmed cases so far.
Please take social distancing seriously. Help us flatten the curve and reduce community spread. pic.twitter.com/r9598xutjW
— Randall Woodfin (@randallwoodfin) March 24, 2020
There are some exceptions to the order. These include public safety and emergency services; first responders; government employees; people who are homeless; employees or contractors of utility, cable and telecommunication companies; and people supplying or restocking essential businesses like grocery, home improvement stores and gas stations.
Two city council members spoke in favor of the order at a press conference today.
“This ordinance will save lives. It’ll make a difference,” said city councilman John Hilliard. “We need all of the leaders of this great city to band together to follow the ordinance that have come out today to help us with this shelter-in-place.”
Meanwhile, Governor Kay Ivey announced this afternoon that she is not planning to issue a statewide shelter-in-place order.
“We will make that decision if and when it’s best for our state, but as for now we are not planning to issue that,” Ivey said in a press conference. “My priority is to keep the Alabama economy going as much as possible. We are taking extraordinary measures to keep everyone healthy and safe.”
City of Birmingham Shelter in Place Ordinance March 2020 by Miranda Fulmore on Scribd
Memory loss: As AI gobbles up chips, prices for devices may rise
Demand for memory chips currently exceeds supply and there's very little chance of that changing any time soon. More chips for AI means less available for other products such as computers and phones and that could drive up those prices too.
Brigitte Bardot, sex goddess of cinema, has died
Legendary screen siren and animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot has died at age 91. The alluring former model starred in numerous movies, often playing the highly sexualized love interest.
For Ukrainians, a nuclear missile museum is a bitter reminder of what the country gave up
The Museum of Strategic Missile Forces tells the story of how Ukraine dismantled its nuclear weapons arsenal after independence in 1991. Today many Ukrainians believe that decision to give up nukes was a mistake.
Jeffrey R. Holland, next in line to lead Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dies at 85
Jeffrey R. Holland led the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, a key governing body. He was next in line to become the church's president.
Winter storm brings heavy snow and ice to busy holiday travel weekend
A powerful winter storm is impacting parts of the U.S. with major snowfall, ice, and below zero wind chills. The conditions are disrupting holiday travel and could last through next week.
Disability rights advocate Bob Kafka dead at 79
Bob Kafka was an organizer with ADAPT (American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today), a group which advocates for policy change to support people with disabilities.
