COVID-19 face mask requirement expiring in Birmingham
Alabama’s largest city will let its COVID-19 face mask requirement expire after Monday in what officials said was a step toward returning to pre-pandemic normalcy. Begun more than a year ago and most recently extended in early April, before the state dropped its mask requirement, the rule will end at a time when fewer patients are hospitalized with the illness caused by the new coronavirus since early April 2020. Noticeably more people have worn masks in the city than in outlying areas, and Mayor Randall Woodfin said the end of the requirement was a sign that vaccinations were making a difference. “I urge everyone to remain vigilant. If you haven’t received the vaccine, please do so. If you have loved ones or friends who have not been vaccinated, help them make an appointment,” he said, according to al.com. The head of the area chamber of commerce, the Birmingham Business Alliance, said member companies were split over whether the requirement should continue. “One-third said get rid of it,” Ron Kitchens, chief executive of the organization, told WBRC-TV. “And one-third said let’s keep it a little while and one-third said whatever leadership decides, we support.” Researchers at Johns Hopkins University said that over the past two weeks, the rolling average number of daily new cases in Alabama has decreased by 50, a decline of 14.6%. But there were still about 228 new cases per 100,000 people in Alabama over the period, which ranks fourth nationally per capita. Jefferson County, where Birmingham is, and heavily populated neighboring Shelby County led the state in case increases, the researchers found. Nearly 37% of the state’s residents have received at least one vaccine dose and almost 29% are fully vaccinated, according to Johns Hopkins. City Council President William Parker said anyone who isn’t vaccinated needs to continue wearing face masks to prevent another uptick in cases. “We’re making a lot of progress, but we still have a long way to go,” he said. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Health officials urging masks, caution over Easter holiday
With the potential for crowded churches and big family gatherings over Easter, health officials are urging people to follow Alabama’s mandate for face masks and social distancing to avoid a new surge of COVID-19. Only 663,000 or so of the state’s 4.9 million residents are fully vaccinated against the new coronavirus, and Alabama is last in the nation in its rate of immunization. But many congregations are planning indoor services Sunday to celebrate the Christian holiday a year after Easter services were canceled or held outdoors. Since relatively few people are fully protected against the illness, Dr. Ellen Eaton of the University of Alabama at Birmingham said it’s “probably not the time” to participate in large indoor gatherings like church or family meals where people aren’t distanced and wearing masks, which are proven to slow the spread of the virus. “The concern is that with Easter, a lot of these spaces are going to be crowded, packed, more children and potentially travelers,” Eaton, an infectious diseases expert, told a news briefing Friday. Relatives coming in from out of town could bring in new strains of virus variants into communities, she said. Yet, infection likely would be spreading quickly from person to person before health experts even realized an area had become a “hot spot” of illness. State Health Officer Scott Harris said, “We still have a ways to go” in controlling the virus. “We still want people to be alert, to be careful, to remember the pandemic is not over yet,” said Harris, a doctor who leads the Alabama Department of Public Health. More than 10,600 people have died of COVID-19 in Alabama, and 516,000 confirmed cases have been reported. Cases are at the lowest point since 11 months ago, and the 347 people hospitalized statewide with the illness on Friday was the lowest in almost a year, state statistics showed. Everyone 16 and older will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations in Alabama beginning Monday, and Gov. Kay Ivey has said the state health rule requiring facial coverings in public will expire on Friday. Some businesses and organizations have said they will keep mask rules in place, and the city of Birmingham will consider Tuesday whether to continue requiring face masks. Birmingham Council President William Parker used a football analogy to explain the need for continuing the rule. “You can’t spike the ball on the 5-yard line. You have to run it into the end zone. And so we’re at the five-yard line now. We still have a lot more work to do before we can rid ourselves of COVID-19,” Parker told WBRC-TV. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Birmingham likely to extend mask order as state mandate ends
Leaders in Alabama’s largest city likely will extend a mandate requiring face masks in public to slow the spread of the new coronavirus despite the state’s plan to end the statewide rule next month, said City Council President William Parker. While Gov. Kay Ivey has said the state order will expire April 9, Parker said officials in Birmingham had been in discussions with medical experts and will push to keep a requirement in place for face masks in public places. “I feel very confident that there will be a mask ordinance for the city of Birmingham,” he said Saturday at the opening of a new vaccination site. A City Council vote likely will be held April 6, he said. Birmingham is located in Jefferson County, which is among multiple counties the Alabama Department of Public Health rates as having a high infection rate over the last two weeks even as cases and hospitalizations decline overall in the state during a surge in vaccinations. More than 10,320 people in Alabama have died of COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, and more than 503,000 have tested positive. While about 400 people are hospitalized with the illness statewide, that is the lowest since April and down from a peak of more than 3,000 in January. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Dr. Ben Carson and Council President William Parker announce $2.9 million for Global Forum for Peace and Justice center
Before the Birmingham city council meeting this morning, Council President William Parker introduced Dr. Ben Carson during a presentation outside City Hall. Dr. Carson, United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, was there to announce a $2.9 million federal grant to fund a feasibility study to determine possible locations in Birmingham for a Global Forum for Peace and Justice center. The Birmingham City Council made a public statement on Facebook. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced the grant today, stating, “The United States was founded on the fundamental truth that all people are created equal and endowed by their Creator with the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Ross continued, “The Global Forum for Freedom and Justice will provide an international 21st-century gathering place focused on leadership, education, innovation, and understanding built at the birthplace of the civil rights movement.” The U.S. Economic Development Administration’s mission is to “lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation’s regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy.” The EDA is an agency within the Department of Commerce that “makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.” The EDA stated on Twitter, “Today alongside @secretarycarson, @scottturner45, Exec. Dir., @Whitehouse Opportunity & Revitalization Council, announced a $2.9 million EDA grant to support the establishment of the Global Forum for Freedom and Justice in Birmingham.” Today alongside @SecretaryCarson, @ScottTurner45, Exec. Dir., @WhiteHouse Opportunity & Revitalization Council, announced a $2.9 million EDA grant to support the establishment of the Global Forum for Freedom and Justice in Birmingham, #Alabama: https://t.co/49Np5sjqWd pic.twitter.com/LBZS4AzWJ8 — EDA (@US_EDA) December 15, 2020 Wilbur Ross also commented on Twitter, “The United States was founded on the fundamental truth that all people are created equal and endowed by their creator with the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The United States was founded on the fundamental truth that all people are created equal and endowed by their Creator with the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. https://t.co/jau3vfS26h — Sec. Wilbur Ross (@SecretaryRoss) December 15, 2020
In reversal, Birmingham extends face mask ordinance to June 12
The council voted 7-0 in favor.
Alabama tops 5,000 cases as closure order nears deadline yesterday
The state’s current stay home order lasts through April 30.
Birmingham’s Legion Field preparing to host World Games 2021 opening ceremonies
The World Games are expected to bring $256 million to Birmingham.
William Parker and Wardine Alexander to lead Birmingham Council next 2-years
Councilor William Parker (District 4) and Councilor Wardine Alexander (District 7) were elected as the new president and pro tempore of the Birmingham City Council today at the council’s regular meeting. According to the bio on his city website, Parker describes himself as a “Talladega College graduate has deep political roots. He worked as a legislative assistant to former U.S. Representative Earl Hilliard, D-Birmingham, before being elected to the State Legislature. During his tenure, he served a large portion of Council District 4. The Birmingham City Council appointed Council President Pro Tempore William Parker to fill his late mother’s term on November 26, 2013. Council President Maxine Herring Parker passed away on November 12, 2013. Council President Pro Tempore William Parker has vowed to continue her work.” Alexander’s bio notes, “She was appointed to the Birmingham City Council on October 30, 2018 to represent District 7. Her top priorities for the district centers around sustainable programs that will improve public safety, economic opportunity, and the ultimate enhancement of the quality of life for all residents along with effective workforce development and community revitalization programs. She believes that with improved collaboration among the residents, major community/business stakeholders, the Council, and the Mayor, effective change can be brought to District 7 and the City.” AL.Com reported that “District 8 Councilor Steven Hoyt nominated District 1 Councilor Clinton Woods for president. District 2 Councilor Hunter Williams nominated Parker. District 3 Councilor Valerie Abbott and Hoyt initially abstained from the vote, but then changed their votes to support Parker. The remaining councilors, except for Woods, then changed their votes to support Parker as well. Alexander was nominated for pro tem by Williams. Hoyt then nominated District 9 Councilor John Hilliard. Alexander won with five votes. Councilors Hoyt, Hilliard, Smitherman and Woods voted for Hilliard.” The council president and pro tempore serve 2-year terms.
