Health Official Warns About The Danger Of Being In Crowds As High School Football Fully Kicks Off
Dr. David Hicks, deputy health officer of Jefferson County.
Dr. David Hicks didn’t say fans of high school football should steer clear of Friday night lights when he spoke at Birmingham City Hall this morning.
But the deputy health officer of Jefferson County said high school football games — which kick off fully this week — and similarly populated events have an obvious risk of spreading COVID-19, especially the Delta variant.
“Any outdoor event where you’re having the people congregating, packed in together, is certainly high risk for spreading,” Hicks said during a press conference with Birmingham City Council President William Parker. “We are not suggesting that people don’t enjoy outdoor activities, but we know you have to assume the risk. If you are a high-risk person, you have an immune-compromised situation [or] you’re older age, I would not suggest going out into any outdoor crowded events at all.”
Hicks said persons who choose to attend such outdoor events should try to social distance as much as possible.
“You do the best you can do,” he said, “but it certainly is increased risk when you go to those situations.”
Hicks was asked about the possibility of health officials again shutting down society as was done in 2020. He said it’s hard to compare last year to this year because there were more requirements of decreased capacity in certain facilities. There also were no vaccines last year, and there was no Delta variant.
“It’s a different mix. I think when you see a dramatic community spread and increased hospitalizations [and] kids on ventilators, at some point, I think we all have to figure out when is enough, enough,” he said. “Our health care providers — our nurses, our doctors that are taking care of people on the front lines — are saying we need help, community. We need relief. We’ve asked for it. We don’t know what else to do.
“At some point, someone’s going to have to make the call on what else needs to be done,” the deputy health officer said. “I think a reasonable approach is at least all of our businesses, if you’re indoors, make sure that everyone is masking in your establishment.”
Hicks said health care officials were “setting off alarms” because of an increased spread of COVID. Jefferson County is averaging 425 new cases a day, compared to an average of 13 six to eight weeks ago, he said. Thirty-eight percent of residents in the county are fully vaccinated, and 49% have had at least one dose of the two-dose vaccine.
Hicks strongly recommended that people wear masks when they are indoors even if they have been fully vaccinated.
The Jefferson County Health Department is administering vaccines at all three of its locations from 8:20 a.m. to 4 p.m., in addition to the many drugstores and health care providers that are giving the free vaccines.
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.
Space Command is coming to Huntsville. What might that mean for first-time homebuyers
While Huntsville has been a more affordable market than other growing cities, what’s it been like for those looking for their first home?
Colorado says relocation of Space Command to Alabama is ‘punishment’ for mail-in voting
The litigation announced by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser asks a federal judge to block the move as unconstitutional.
Breaking down Alabama’s CHOOSE Act
It’s been a year since Alabama legislators passed the CHOOSE Act allowing families to apply for state funds to use towards homeschool expenses and tuition for participating private schools. The Alabama Daily News’ education reporter Trisha Powell Crain has been diving into how the funds are being used. WBHM’s Andrew Gelderman sat down with her to talk about what we’re seeing so far.
