Health Care
As Medical Procedures Resume, Patients Weigh Whether It’s Safe
Gov. Kay Ivey’s “safer-at-home” order allows doctors to resume elective medical and dental procedures. For some patients, that’s good news.
UAB Drug Remdesivir Is First to Block the COVID-19 Virus, May Become Standard of Care. Fauci “Optimistic.”
Remdesivir, a drug developed through a federal grant to UAB, may be the first effective therapy for treating severely ill COVID-19 patients, early analysis of a large federally sponsored study found this week.
UAB to Start COVID-19 Testing With Mobile Units in Bush Hills, Center Point
UAB will deploy a new COVID-19 mobile testing unit this week to communities across Jefferson County.
Alabama Lags Coronavirus Testing Rate Advised to Begin Reopening
Data shows Alabama lags behind most of its Southeast neighbors in COVID-19 testing.
UAB Hospital Losing $70 Million Per Month Due To COVID Restrictions
UAB Hospital is taking a financial hit from COVID-19. Officials announced Friday a projected loss of $70 million per month due to fewer clinical visits, elective surgeries and hospital stays.
Inside Alabama’s Prisons, Fear Of A Coronavirus Outbreak
Alabama corrections officials recently reported the first inmate death related to COVID-19. With several prisoners and staff members testing positive for the virus, those inside Alabama prisons worry this is just the tip of the iceberg.
COVID-19 Crisis Threatens To Bankrupt And Close Struggling Hospitals In The Rural South
The executive director of the Alabama Rural Health Association says closing rural hospitals is his greatest concern. That's because these hospitals located across the Deep South were struggling to stay open before COVID-19.
After 22 Days, UAB Staff Celebrate First COVID Patient Released From ICU
After falling ill with COVID-19, Bill Chambers was admitted to intensive care and placed on a ventilator. He spent 22 days in the hospital and was recently released, becoming the first COVID patient discharged from UAB Hospital's ICU.
Coronavirus Peaks In Alabama On April 20. Here’s What To Expect
COVID-19 is expected to peak Monday. Here's how UAB has been preparing for this and the months that follow.
UAB’s Pastoral Care Team Counsels Health Care Workers Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
Hospital chaplains usually show comfort to patients or their families, but at UAB that has changed. During the coronavirus pandemic, the pastoral care team spends a lot of time counseling health care workers who are on the front lines.
There Will Be a Day After, But Then Comes The Day After That
UAB officials are starting to look toward the day when the number of COVID-19 cases starts to decline in Alabama, but there are no easy answers to what could come next.
Birmingham To Launch Ride Service For COVID-19 Patients
A new service to transport low-income COVID-19 patients to health care facilities is expected to launch in Birmingham this week.
Gov. Kay Ivey Taps Committee to Plan For Reopening Alabama’s Economy
Gov. Kay Ivey is creating a new executive committee that’ll field recommendations on when to reopen the state’s economy.
Surviving A Pandemic: How The 1918 Spanish Flu Changed Life In Alabama
COVID-19 is not the first pandemic to strike around the world. In 1918, the Spanish Influenza had a dramatic impact on daily life everywhere, including Alabama.
Virus Tsunami Could Swamp Alabama’s Health Care, Particularly In Rural Areas
Health professionals warn that the COVID-19 pandemic hasn't hit its peak in Alabama yet. Some say that when it does it could be a major disaster for the state’s health care infrastructure.
Alabama Numbers Show Race Disparity In COVID-19 Deaths
More than 40 percent of the COVID-19 deaths in Alabama have been in African Americans even though about a fourth of the state’s population is black, data released by state health officials showed Tuesday.
Pregnant Women Are Changing Their Birth Plans Amid COVID-19 Fears
Due to COVID-19, hospitals are limiting the number of people who can be present during labor and delivery. That's one reason some pregnant women are considering giving birth at home.
Alabama’s Largest City Tightens Restrictions To Stem Spread Of Coronavirus
Birmingham is under a shelter-in-place order and hospitals are being inundated with a wave of COVID-19 patients. We talk with a local cardiologist who is now ill with the disease about the pandemic's toll on the health care system.
Association Protests Plan To Put Recovering COVID-19 Patients In Nursing Homes
The Alabama Nursing Home Association opposes a decision by Jefferson County Health Officer Dr. Mark Wilson to place patients who are recovering from COVID-19 in nursing homes.
Birmingham Could Be Two Weeks Away From NYC COVID-19 Rates
The coronavirus pandemic in Alabama is not as bad as hot spots elsewhere in the country, but public health officials expect that to change.
No Need To Worry About Drinking Water During The COVID-19 Crisis, ADEM Director Says
Public drinking water is safe, according to the director of the Alabama Department of Environment.
‘Critical Shortage Everywhere’ Of Personal Protective Equipment
The health care workers who care for COVID-19 patients are on the front lines, but hospitals and clinics are running out of the protective equipment medical providers need to protect themselves.
World Awaits Results Of COVID-19 Drug Treatment Developed At UAB Center
In the search for a drug treatment for COVID-19, prime interest has centered on Remdesivir, a compound produced by Gilead Sciences that has its roots in a National Institutes of Health-funded center based at UAB.
Lt. Gov. Ainsworth: ‘We’ve Got To Get This Under Control’
Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth wants Alabamians to take the coronavirus pandemic seriously. Other state leaders don't seem to share the same urgency.
Jackson County Reports Alabama’s First Coronavirus Death
An employee at the Jackson County Courthouse has died from the coronavirus, according to County Commission Chairman Tim Guffey, which could be Alabama’s first death from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Updated: Where Can I Get Tested For COVID-19?
A list of where you can get tested for COVID-19 in Alabama.
As COVID-19 Spreads, Meals On Wheels Adapts To Serve Seniors
With volunteers at home and the economy in decline, area nonprofits are feeling the impact of COVID-19. Meanwhile, communities are seeing an increased need for charitable programs.
UAB Hospital To Open Appointment Only Test Site For COVID-19
Starting Monday, UAB hospital will offer testing for COVID-19 at a drive-thru center in downtown Birmingham. Symptomatic patients must call first and make an appointment.
Gov. Ivey Closes Beaches Through April 5
State and local health officials issued new statewide health restrictions Thursday in response to the growing number of COVID-19 cases in Alabama.
UAB Infectious Disease Expert With COVID-19 Says “Stay Home”
University of Alabama at Birmingham AIDS researcher Dr. Michael Saag says he's tested positive for coronavirus. He made his diagnosis public in an effort to raise awareness of how to fight the disease.
Protecting People In Prisons, Jails And Shelters From COVID-19
To slow the spread of the coronavirus, health officials are asking people to stay home and practice social distancing. But in Alabama prisons and homeless shelters, following this advice is virtually impossible.
Alabama COVID-19 Testing Rife With Delays And Uncertainty
Across Alabama, the demand for COVID-19 testing is growing, and labs are struggling to turn around test results quickly.
