Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Tuesday said she would lift the stay at home order Thursday on Alabama’s 4.8 million residents and allowed many nonessential businesses to reopen. Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth thanked Gov. Ivey for beginning to implement the Small Business Commission recommendations.
Ainsworth heads the Small Business Commission and has been an outspoken advocate for reopening the Alabama economy.
Gov. Kay Ivey’s revised public health order allows the reopening of retail businesses, the resumption of important elective surgeries, and the use of Alabama’s public beaches as long as the proper social distancing is enforced.
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“I thank Gov. Kay Ivey for beginning to implement the recommendations of our Small Business Commission and for starting the process to ‘Reopen Alabama Responsibly,’” Ainsworth said. “Thousands of small business owners and employees across the state will feel relief as they open their doors for business once again, but, like all of us, they will need to use strict social distancing guidelines, safety precautions, and simple common sense.”
In February, Alabama’s unemployment was 2.7 percent, the lowest in state history. The forced economic shutdown was implemented in March to fight the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus.
“Hospitals in both urban and rural areas have suffered deep financial losses over the past several weeks, and resuming elective surgeries will offer them a much-needed lifeline,” Ainsworth said. “And because tourism is so important to Alabama’s Gulf Coast economy, opening the beaches while enforcing social distancing rules provides a ray of hope that the summer season will be a profitable one for the area.”
Gov. Ivey did not allow bars, barbershops, church worship services, massage parlors, night clubs, gyms, athletic facilities, concert halls, movie theaters, salons, or restaurant dining rooms to reopen. Ainsworth and the Small Business Commission had recommended a wider opening of the Alabama economy.
“I look forward to implementing the next phase of recommendations and allowing even more employers and workers to resume their business operations,” Ainsworth concluded. “I will continue working closely with Gov. Ivey to safely and responsibly reopen Alabama and appreciate her leadership during this difficult and unprecedented time.”
Effective April 30, 2020, at 5:00 P.M., all individuals—and especially vulnerable persons—are encouraged to exercise personal responsibility in slowing the spread of COVID-19 by:
- Minimizing travel outside the home, especially if sick
- Wearing face coverings around people from other households when it is necessary to leave the home
- Washing hands frequently with soap and water or hand sanitizer, especially after touching frequently used items or surfaces
- Refraining from touching one’s face
- Sneezing or coughing into a tissue, or the inside of one’s elbow
- Disinfecting frequently used items and surfaces as much as possible.
“Any person who has tested positive for COVID-19—other than institutionalized persons—shall be quarantined to their place of residence for a period of 14 days, or other period of time as directed by the State Health Officer, or his designee, after receiving positive test results. Any person quarantined pursuant to this provision shall not leave their place of residence for any reason other than to seek necessary medical treatment. Any person requiring assistance while under quarantine may contact Alabama Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster.
1,035,454 Americans have been diagnosed with COVID-19. 59,266 of them have died. 2,470 died on Tuesday alone including 14 in Alabama. Alabama has lost 242 to the COVID-19 global pandemic.
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