By Zach Hester, Reporter • zach@southerntorch.com
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — On Tuesday, Governor Kay Ivey announced the extension of her "Safer-At-Home" order, which was put into place in May.
The order, which was mandated due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was set to expire on Friday, July 3 at 3 p.m., but will now be extended through Friday, July 31 at 5 p.m.
"This is an unprecedented year for not only our state but our country and our world," Ivey stated in her press conference. "We are still in the thick of this disease and it is deadly...[but] having a shutdown for months was never my intent."
The mandates of the current Safer-At-Home Order includes:
- Restaurants and bars may reopen with limited seating and six feet between tables
- Gyms may reopen subject to social distancing and sanitation
- Barbershops, salons, and tattoo shops may reopen
- Eliminates the gathering limitation on beaches
- Visitation at nursing homes and hospitals are still limited
- Allows entertainment venues to reopen at 50% capacity
- Allows youth sports and athletic events to resume
Ivey stressed the need to take personal responsibility during this time and continue following the guidelines from federal officials: maintaining a six-foot distance between yourself and others, staying home unless necessary, and wearing a face covering or mask in public.
"You shouldn't have to order somebody to do what is in their own best interest," said Ivey of face mask mandates, which are growing across the country. She also stated the State of Alabama reserves the right to reverse course if the cases continue to rise again.
State Public Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris stated that while testing has grown exponentially in the last month, the high number of new tests do not completely explain the rise in cases.
Harris stated the current percentage of tests positive were 11 percent, the highest yet in the State of Alabama. He reported more than 750 current hospitalizations statewide, though hospitals are not overwhelmed, and approximately 275 intensive care unit (ICU) beds remaining across the state.
"Please continue to take this seriously," Harris said. "There are many who have not yet gotten that message."
As of 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 30, the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) was reporting 37,536 cases statewide with 926 deaths due to COVID-19. More than 18,000 presumed recoveries have been reported and over 400,000 Alabamians have been tested.
View the full order here: https://alabamapublichealth.gov/legal/assets/order-adph-cov-gatherings-063020.pdf
