Alabama could see another surge of COVID-19 in the coming weeks. But a vaccine could be around the coroner, according to the country's top infectious disease expert.
In the fight against COVID-19, Alabama hospitals say one of their biggest concerns is a shortage of nurses. Many are turning to travel nurse companies to meet demand.
The director of infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham said vaccines in phase three clinical trials have been fast-tracked and not much is known about the long term effects or success rates.
Preliminary numbers from a program to test college students returning to campus indicate a low positivity rate. The program has tested about 30,000 students so far.
Alabama health experts and university leaders launched a statewide campus re-entry initiative to test and monitor the spread of COVID-19 on college campuses.
The Jefferson County Health Department is using food inspectors to monitor restaurant and bars’ adherence to COVID-19 orders, and they can immediately close establishments that do not comply.
In recent weeks, the number of state inmates who have died from COVID-19 has more than doubled, with two more deaths announced Monday. Last week, ADOC officials announced plans to expand testing among the inmate population.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, says states that are seeing an outbreak of the virus should mandate masks and close bars.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham is creating a specialized skilled nursing facility for some COVID-19 patients in Jefferson County. Alabama's nursing homes have seen an influx of coronavirus cases since the pandemic began in late March.
Kelsey Jacks is a registered nurse in the medical Intensive care unit at UAB Hospital, where she takes care of the sickest COVID-19 patients. To help people understand the impact of the virus, she recorded an audio diary during a recent shift.
Beginning Monday, face masks will be required in indoor spaces open to the public throughout Jefferson County. Health officer Dr. Mark Wilson announced the new order Friday, citing concerns about the recent increase in spread of COVID-19.
Alabama saw the number of coronavirus cases double among 5 to 24-year-olds, according to data from the Alabama Department of Public Health. The state also recorded a new daily high of 1,129 cases between 10 a.m. Wednesday and 10 a.m. Thursday.
The number of COVID-19 cases in the state rose Wednesday by 954, one of the state’s largest daily increases since the pandemic began, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health.
As coronavirus hospitalizations increase, more hospitals are feeling squeezed. The president of the Alabama Hospital Association says the state is far from getting the pandemic under control. Limited hospital capacity will most affect patients seeking care for health issues other than coronavirus.