Gov. Ivey Issues Statewide Stay-At-Home Order Effective April 4
Gov. Kay Ivey issued a statewide stay-at-home order Friday, just hours after the city of Birmingham extended its shelter-in-place order.
The statewide order goes into effect Saturday, April 4, at 5 p.m. and ends Thursday, April 30, at 5 p.m. Under the order, residents are required to stay in their homes at all times, except to perform “essential activities.” These include:
- obtaining necessary supplies (e.g. food, medicine, materials needed to work from home, fuel, etc)
- obtaining or provide necessary services (e.g. medical, dental, physical therapy, auto repair, etc)
- attending religious services, weddings or funerals of 10 people or fewer or drive-in religious services
- providing care to others, including pets
- working an essential business
- engaging in outdoor activity involving 10 or fewer people;
- seeking shelter if their residence is unsafe, or to seek help from providers like food banks
- traveling as required by law
- seeing family members
The list of “essential businesses” include:
- Health-care providers and caregivers
- Essential infrastructure
- Manufacturing facilities
- Agricultural operations and farms
- Essential retailers
- Essential services
- Media operations
- Education operations
- Financial services
- Professional services
- Providers of basic necessities to economically disadvantages populations
- Construction and construction-related services
- Essential public services
- Military or defense operations
- Essential services or product providers
- Religious entities
- Federally designated critical infrastructure
- Other state-designated essential businesses and operations
Ivey’s order comes after weeks of mounting pressure from state and local leaders over how to fight COVID-19. Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth called on Alabama to “wake up” about the severity of COVID-19. But he stopped short of blaming the governor.
“You know, I can’t control the governor’s actions. I can control mine. And I’m going to do everything I can do to make sure people understand how serious this is,” he told WBHM in an interview last week.
Until Friday, Alabama was one of a few states in the southeast which hadn’t issued a stay-at-home order. Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee each issued their own orders this week as well.
Earlier this week, Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, director of the division of infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, told WBHM that Birmingham is likely two weeks behind New York City, where field hospitals have opened in Central Park to handle COVID-19 patients, and about six weeks behind Seattle, where data indicates the pandemic may be slowing.
Jefferson County Department of Health Officer Dr. Mark Wilson says Ivey’s order includes a provision that allows him to implement more stringent measures in the county if he gets approval from the Alabama Department of Public Health’s Scott Harris.
Wilson says he sees some areas that may require him to take that step.
“We have been in touch with local hospitals and we do think that we need to take every possible action to help flatten the curve,” Wilson says.
Wilson says more stringent measures could include closing some parks where there have been gatherings and restrictions on big-box retailers.
“What we’ve seen in terms of behavior so far has concerned us,” says Wilson.
Wilson says they’ve gotten reports that some people aren’t “treating this seriously.” Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin says congregating in city parks has also been a problem.
“If they cannot comply with this order, we will take the necessary step to shut our parks down,” Woodfin says.
As a result, a number of parks have already barricaded their entrances.
Wilson says he’ll spend more time reviewing today’s statewide order, but he says it’s highly likely that in next day or two he’ll seek approval from the state for more stringent shelter-in-place orders in Jefferson County.
As of Friday afternoon, Alabama had more than 1,500 confirmed cases and 21 deaths related to the virus, according to the ADPH. State health officials say they expect those numbers to continue to rise.
No more Elmo? APT could cut ties with PBS
The board that oversees Alabama Public Television is considering disaffiliating from PBS, ending a 55-year relationship.
Nonprofit erases millions in medical debt across Gulf South, says it’s ‘Band-Aid’ for real issue
Undue Medical Debt has paid off more than $299 million in medical debts in Alabama. Now, the nonprofit warns that the issue could soon get worse.
Roy Wood Jr. on his father, his son and his new book
Actor, comedian and writer Roy Wood Jr. is out with a new book -- "The Man of Many Fathers: Life Lessons Disguised as a Memoir." He writes about his experience growing up in Birmingham, losing his dad as a teenager and all the lessons he learned from various father figures throughout his career.
Auburn fires coach Hugh Freeze following 12th loss in his last 15 SEC games
The 56-year-old Freeze failed to fix Auburn’s offensive issues in three years on the Plains, scoring 24 or fewer points in 17 of his 22 league games. He also ended up on the wrong end of too many close matchups, including twice this season thanks partly to questionable calls.
In a ‘disheartening’ era, the nation’s former top mining regulator speaks out
Joe Pizarchik, who led the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement from 2009 to 2017, says Alabama’s move in the wake of a fatal 2024 home explosion increases risks to residents living atop “gassy” coal mines.
‘It’s like feeling the arms of your creator just wrapped around you’: a visit to a special healing Shabbat
Members of Temple Emanu-El in Birmingham gathered recently for their traditional Friday Shabbat service. But this particular service was different, as could be seen by all the people dressed in their finest pink.
