In the month after a city mask mandate took effect, there was a 60% decline in virus transmission, and two other orders caused an even more substantial decline, the report found.
‘Diddy’ delivers, chicken coops, New Year’s Eve restrictions: News from around our 50 states From USA TODAY Network and wire reports, USA TODAY
Alabama
Gadsden: The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Alabama topped 2,800 this week, as recent days have shown a steady climb and new record high inpatient counts – 2,804 on Tuesday – as the surge in cases continues. Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, the University of Alabama’s Division of Infectious Diseases director, said Alabama now is third in the nation in COVID-19 hospitalizations per capita, behind Nevada and Arizona. She said Alabama is sixth in the nation in the number of COVID-19 cases per capita, after falling out of the top 10. On Christmas Eve, the number hospitalized was 2,458 across the state; on Christmas Day and on Saturday, it was 2,516, according to statistics published by BamaTracker. On Sunday, the number rose to 2,631; and it jumped significantly by Monday, to 2,802 people hospitalized.
Several school board members pressed for expanding school building access as education leaders met virtually Tuesday to discuss plans for 2021.
Under one scenario, schools would open to in-person classes to all who wish to attend five days a week starting Jan. 19.
âOpen the doggone schools,â school board member Matthew Sampson said. âLet the kids in and staff return who so choose to do so.â
A special meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday for a school board vote.
Other plans expanding school access involve inviting limited numbers of students two to four days a week for a shorter school day with computers continuing as the primary learning platform. Yet another proposal would give principals leeway to decide how best to expand access at their buildings. The school district has about 35 schools.