Alabama Health Department Expands COVID-19 Restrictions
The Alabama Department of Public Health announced Tuesday plans to expand a previously announced health order in Jefferson County to surrounding areas.
The new directives will now affect Tuscaloosa, Walker, Blount, St. Clair and Shelby counties. The guidelines prohibit crowds of more than 25 people and on-site eating and drinking at restaurants and bars for at least a week.
Alabama Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris strongly encouraged other counties across the state to follow suit.
In addition, gatherings at senior centers are prohibited effective Wednesday, and private schools will close. Preschools and childcare centers with 12 or more children will also close until April 6.
This comes as the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Alabama continues to rise. As of Tuesday morning, the state had 36 cases of COVID-19, with 20 of them found in Jefferson County. Harris says those numbers are bound to increase statewide.
“We understand that there can be a testing bias in Jefferson County because that’s where most of the testing is occurring, where most people are able to get access … but as we roll out testing [in other parts of the state] I think we’ll find additional cases,” Harris says.
ADPH expects to create up to 10 new screening sites across the state operating by the end of the week.
“The limiting step has been being able to obtain supplies like some protective equipment and swabs for testing,” Harris says.
Pentagon says it’s cutting ties with ‘woke’ Harvard, ending military training
Amid an ongoing standoff between Harvard and the White House, the Defense Department said it plans to cut ties with the Ivy League — ending military training, fellowships and certificate programs.
‘Washington Post’ CEO resigns after going AWOL during massive job cuts
Washington Post chief executive and publisher Will Lewis has resigned just days after the newspaper announced massive layoffs.
In this Icelandic drama, a couple quietly drifts apart
Icelandic director Hlynur Pálmason weaves scenes of quiet domestic life against the backdrop of an arresting landscape in his newest film.
After the Fall: How Olympic figure skaters soar after stumbling on the ice
Olympic figure skating is often seems to take athletes to the very edge of perfection, but even the greatest stumble and fall. How do they pull themselves together again on the biggest world stage? Toughness, poise and practice.
They’re cured of leprosy. Why do they still live in leprosy colonies?
Leprosy is one of the least contagious diseases around — and perhaps one of the most misunderstood. The colonies are relics of a not-too-distant past when those diagnosed with leprosy were exiled.
This season, ‘The Pitt’ is about what doesn’t happen in one day
The first season of The Pitt was about acute problems. The second is about chronic ones.
