‘I Don’t Know How Much Longer We Can Do This’: Alabama State Health Officer Frustrated As COVID Cases Surge
Alabama remains in the crosshairs as the COVID-19 pandemic shows no signs of relenting.
“We’re really in a crisis situation. We’ve said that over and over for several weeks,” said Alabama State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris, in a briefing this morning. “I don’t know how much longer we’re going to be able to do this.”
Case numbers and hospitalizations continue to surge. Hospitalizations are at around 2,900, slightly below the peak in January. With a rise in deaths as well, Harris once again encouraged Alabamians to get vaccinated, especially now that the Pfizer vaccine has been granted full FDA approval.
This week was especially bad for schools. There were 5,571 cases, a 700% increase in cases for school-aged children compared to this time a year ago. The Alabama Department of Public Health does not know how many of those children caught COVID in schools, but it launched a database Friday where people can now see the number of COVID cases in their school district.
Harris emphasized that the way to keep children in schools is to vaccinate those who are eligible and to enforce universal masking regardless of vaccination status. Those who follow the guidelines of three feet of spacing and wearing masks are not considered close contact and therefore do not need to be quarantined when there is an infection.
“We have been told that our guidance has been confusing,” he said. “Our guidance is crystal clear.”
With only 29% of 12-17-year-olds vaccinated, he called on parents to vaccinate their children.
The Department of Public Health is also working to increase the availability of monoclonal antibody treatment, a COVID treatment, but emphasized they are not a substitute for vaccination.
“Monoclonals are a great option for us to have, but they represent a secondary option. What we want is for people to be vaccinated in as many cases as possible,” Harris said.
Alabama has made one of the biggest jumps in the country when it comes to the percentage of people vaccinated, but that percentage still trails behind the rest of the country.
“We don’t know how to convince people to take good advice. We understand people have made this some issue about personal choice,” Harris said. “And we respect people’s personal choice, but there’s right choices and there’s wrong choices. And if you’re not getting vaccinated, you’re making the wrong choice. And it doesn’t just affect you.”
‘Bomb cyclone’ forecasted to bring heavy snow, blizzard conditions and dangerous travel
A 'bomb cyclone' is intensifying severe winter weather for millions of people across the U.S. The system is expected to knock out power and disrupt holiday travel.
Russia sends 3 Iranian satellites into orbit, report says
The report said that a Russian rocket sent the satellites on Sunday from a launchpad in eastern Russia.
Viral global TikToks: A twist on soccer, Tanzania’s Charlie Chaplin, hope in Gaza
TikToks are everywhere (well, except countries like Australia and India, where they've been banned.) We talk to the creators of some of the year's most popular reels from the Global South.
This painting is missing. Do you have it?
An important work from a rediscovered artist has been absent from public view since the 1970s. A New York curator is hunting for it.
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.
