Alabama has received almost four million doses of COVID vaccines but it has given out only about 2.5 million, so the state could possibly be one of those states that loses vaccinations.
Leaders react to Gov. Iveyâs plan to end COVID-19 restrictions
All statewide ordinances expiring by July 6 By Brittany Dionne | May 3, 2021 at 10:37 PM CDT - Updated May 3 at 10:37 PM
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Leadership in Jefferson County and Birmingham both agreed ending all public COVID-19 restrictions could lead to a spike in cases.
âJust because thereâs not an order doesnât mean people shouldnât continue to be careful,â Dr. Mark Wilson with the Jefferson County Department of Health said.
The response came after Gov. Kay Ivey announced she would lift all restrictions by July 6, 2021.
Wilson said personal responsibility needed to kick in and the public choose to continue the precautions without a law in place.
Alabama health leaders keeping an eye on COVID-19 cases
State health leaders watching uptick in COVID-19 cases By Alan Collins | May 3, 2021 at 5:30 PM CDT - Updated May 3 at 5:30 PM
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - State health leaders are watching a slight increase in positive COVID cases. The numbers are way down from three months ago, but new COVID cases have been around 200 a day. Hospitalizations - about 300 a day. Doctors say that means COVID is still spreading.
The state’s positivity rate for COVID had dropped down to 4% or lower, but that has changed recently.
“It has ticked up a little bit over the last week - we are at 5.4%,” Dr. Scott Harris with the Alabama Department of Public Health said.
Vaccination rate decreasing in Alabama
Vaccination rates are dropping By Alan Collins | May 3, 2021 at 7:41 PM CDT - Updated May 3 at 7:41 PM
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - The state of Alabama is facing a drop in the number of people getting the COVID-19 vaccine. The state is fighting vaccine hesitancy. State health leaders believe information about vaccines is the main way to combat hesitancy and to try and make shots even more accessible.
The latest vaccine distribution dashboard shows the state has received more than 3.9 million doses. At least one dose has been given to 2.5 million people and 1.1 million have been fully vaccinated.
Health officials raise the alarm over overdose deaths in Birmingham area
Updated May 24, 2021;
A surge in fentanyl-related cases has pushed the number of drug overdose deaths in Jefferson County to record highs, prompting dire warnings from health officials concerned about tainted drugs.
The number of drug overdose deaths in the Birmingham area increased to 99 in the first three months of 2021 compared to 58 the same time last year, an increase of 71 percent, said Jefferson County Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates. The number of overdose deaths linked to fentanyl jumped by 126 percent, he said. Fentanyl is an opioid, but it has been increasingly found in other types of drugs, including stimulants.