Health Care
Alabama Health Department Expands COVID-19 Restrictions
The Alabama Department of Public Health announced Tuesday it was expanding limits on restaurants and senior center gatherings in six counties. Jefferson County put its restrictions into effect Monday.
‘Drastic Efforts’ In Jeffco Aim To Curb The Spread Of Coronavirus
To help slow the spread of the coronavirus, health officials announced Tuesday a series of orders to limit public gatherings in Jefferson County.
Officials Tighten Restrictions On Gatherings As Coronavirus Cases Increase
The Alabama Department of Public Health issued new recommendations Monday as the city of Birmingham and the Jefferson County Commission declared states of emergency.
How To Get Tested For COVID-19 In Alabama
Days after Alabama confirmed its first case of coronavirus, testing is ramping up across the state. There are a growing number of options to get screened and tested for the virus.
The Big Q: Coronavirus In Alabama. What Do I Need To Know?
Experts answer your questions about coronavirus in Alabama.
Alabama Reports Its First Case Of Coronavirus
Alabama officials announced the state's first case of COVID-19.
Alabama Still Has Not Detected Coronavirus. Health Officials Advise Acting Otherwise
Alabama remains one of a handful of states where the coronavirus has not been detected. Some say officials should be doing more to prepare and test for the disease.
Alabama Health Officials Issue Update On Coronavirus Testing
The Alabama Department of Health has tested fewer than 20 people for COVID-19, according to officials there. None has tested positive.
State Health Department Offers COVID-19 Testing
Alabama's state health agency now has the capability to test for COVID-19. They'll no longer have to send samples to the CDC for testing.
Jefferson County Department Of Health Prepared For Coronavirus
In a press conference, President Trump insisted the risk of Americans getting the coronavirus disease remains very low. But CDC officials say they expect COVID-19 to spread to more states across the U.S. and they’re preparing local health departments with specific guidelines for dealing with the disease.
Firehouse Ministries Opens New Homeless Shelter
For almost 40 years, Firehouse Ministries has offered shelter at its downtown Birmingham building. Thursday the non-profit cut the ribbon on a new facility.
Helping Walker County Families Destroyed by the Opioid Crisis
Tens of millions of prescription pain pills flooded Walker County from 2006-2012, according to data released by The Washington Post. But the effects of the opioid crisis are still evident, especially for children who lived through it.
Church Fundraiser Forgives Millions in Medical Debt
A Mountain Brook church raised enough money to help pay off medical debt for thousands of Alabama families.
Crisis Center Hopes to Reach Rural Survivors with Mobile Unit
Victims of sexual assault can often have trouble finding help, especially in rural communities. This year, the Crisis Center launched a mobile response unit to try to change that.
New UAB Initiative Seeks to Improve Health Statewide
Alabama often ends up at the bottom in health rankings on indicators such as obesity and high blood pressure. A new initiative launching Tuesday aims to pull Alabama out of the bottom ten among states over the next decade.
Report: State Improved in Several Child Health Indicators but Still Struggles With Poverty, Racial Disparity
Alabama has made significant progress in infant mortality rates, teen pregnancies and child safety, but poverty and a racial disparity in indicators of wellbeing remain a problem for children in the state, according to a report released today.
UAB Researchers to Study Silent Strokes
You could have a stroke and not know it. It’s called a "silent stroke." And researchers at UAB want to know more about how it affects the brain.
Cyberattacks Like The One On DCH Are Increasingly Common
Officials with DCH Health System in Tuscaloosa are still recovering from last week's ransomware attack. Experts say this kind of cybercrime is becoming more common.
First Alabama Death Related to Vaping Injury
A man from East Alabama is the state’s first resident to die from a vaping-associated injury, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH).
Medicare Change a ‘Huge, Significant Thing’ for Alabama
Rural hospitals in Alabama are struggling to make ends meet. Now, experts say Medicare is throwing the state a lifeline.
UAB Using Whole Blood to Improve Trauma Care
For decades, blood banks have separated blood into different parts: cells, plasma and platelets. Experts say that has a lot of advantages, but sometimes, patients just need whole blood.
Hepatitis A Outbreak Spreads to Jefferson County
Health officials announced Tuesday the county is fighting an outbreak of Hepatitis A.
How Prepared is UAB Hospital for a Mass Shooting?
UAB Hospital is Alabama’s busiest high-level trauma center. But how prepared is the hospital for tragedy on a larger scale?
New Grocery Delivery Program Aims to Curb Senior Hunger
Many seniors have health issues that prevent them from getting to the grocery store. Others can't afford or have limited access to nutritious food. A new program delivers healthy groceries to their doorstep.
Training Better Robotic Surgeons in Virtual Reality
Surgery today can look a lot different than it did 20 years ago. In addition to scalpels and forceps, many surgeons need to know how to operate using a robot. But learning to use the device can be a challenge.
Report: Well-Being of Alabama Children Still Lags Nationwide
Alabama’s teen birth rate has decreased dramatically in the last decade. That’s according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which has ranked the overall well-being of kids across the US for 30 years.
CDC Director Visits Alabama to Discuss Ending HIV
The director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Dr. Robert Redfield, visited Montgomery on Friday to discuss strategies to combat HIV.
$21 Million Study Will Research Health Disparities in the Rural South
People who live in the rural South are more likely to die sooner than people in other parts of the country. A new study funded by the National Institutes of Health tries to figure out why.
UAB Closing Residential Addiction Unit to Expand Other Services
UAB hospital recently announced it will close its residential addiction treatment unit, which has provided overnight care for patients with substance use disorder for more than 20 years. Some are criticizing the decision, but officials say the closure is part of a bigger plan.
Alabama Governor Signs Near-total Abortion Ban Into Law
Alabama’s Republican governor signed the most stringent abortion legislation in the nation Wednesday, making performing an abortion a felony in nearly all cases.
Alabama Lawmakers Pass Bill Banning Nearly All Abortions
The Alabama Senate passed a bill Tuesday evening to ban nearly all abortions. The state House had already overwhelmingly approved the legislation. It's part of a broader anti-abortion strategy to prompt the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider the right to abortion.
Alabama House Approves Near Total Abortion Ban
The Alabama House voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to outlaw almost all abortions in the state as conservatives took aim at the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide.
