Coronavirus In Alabama: Ivey Issues Stay-At-Home Order
MONTGOMERY, AL — Alabama stood alone in the Deep South this week as all of its neighboring states had stay-at-home orders in effect to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. Gov. Kay Ivey finally issued such an order in Alabama on Friday afternoon.
The order goes into effect at 5 p.m. Saturday and is to last until April 30. The full order can be viewed here.
"April stands to be very tough and potentially a very deadly month for our state," Ivey said. "I can't say this anymore clearly. COVID19 is an imminent threat to our way of life. We are past urging you to stay at home — it is now the law."
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Ivey had resisted pressure all week to issue a stay-at-home order for the state, even to the point of defending her decision not to move forward with the order.
"I've tried to find the right balance, something that was measured while not overreacting," Ivey said. "Looking out for people's health while keeping govt. from choking the life out of business and commerce. Late yesterday afternoon it became obvious something else had to be done."
Sen. Doug Jones (D-AL) was critical of Ivey this week for failing to issue the order, saying Thursday via social media, "It is time Governor. All of the models show that Alabama will be in for a tough, tough time unless we get more aggressive. The stay-at-home message has reached a lot of folks but so, so many more are ignoring it. You save Alabama’s economy by saving her people first."
Jones added Friday afternoon, "Alabama is once again an island unto itself. All of our surrounding states - FL, GA, TN and MS - are now under stay-at-home orders. This is not like having a lottery (where we are also an island). This is about our health. It is past time Governor for a strong, clear order."
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall backed Ivey in his pledge to enforce the order. "This order carries the full weight of law," Marshall said. "Yes, this order can be enforced criminally. It's my hope that these laws don't have to be enforced criminally — we hope for willful compliance."
The Alabama Department of Public Health reported that 21 people are confirmed to have died from COVID-19, while there have been 34 deaths total reported. Nearly 8,400 have been tested for the virus, with nearly 1,500 positive tests, according to the ADPH.
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This article originally appeared on the Birmingham Patch
