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Gov. Kay Ivey on Wednesday announced a six-week extension of the statewide mask mandate even as Decatur Morgan and Athens-Limestone hospitals once again had a record number of COVID-19 inpatients and hospitals throughout Alabama struggled to deal with surging numbers.
Ivey and State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris pleaded with Alabamians to follow basic safety precautions, and Harris warned that a vaccine is unlikely to be available to the general public before early summer.
The order, set to expire Friday, was extended to 5 p.m. Jan. 22. No changes were made in the order that took effect Nov. 8.
Kelli Powers, CEO of Decatur Morgan Hospital, welcomed the orderâs extension even as she lamented that it was necessary.