In a press release on Oct.8, Gov. Kay Ivey has extended the state of public health emergency to end on Oct. 31. Ivey initially declared the state of emergency on Aug. 13 as a result of a rise of COVID-19 cases across Alabama.
The state of emergency was issued in order to ease burdens on healthcare providers and make the government more responsive. The proclamation was set to expire on Oct. 12.
In August, Ivey stated that the state of emergency was focused on helping those in the medical field when it came to treating those with COVID-19
“This state of emergency is strategically targeted at removing bureaucracy and cutting red tape wherever we can to allow our doctors, nurses and hospital staff to treat patients that come through their doors,” Ivey said.
The state of emergency allows the Board of Nursing, the Board of Pharmacy, the Medical Licensure Commission and the State Board of Medical Examiners to provide expedited licensures and temporary permits to healthcare practitioners with active and unencumbered licenses in other states.
The press release stated that between early September and late this week, the number of newly reported covid-19 cases per day in Alabama dropped more than 70 percent, and the number of COVID-19 patients in Alabama hospitals dropped by about 60 percent, based on seven-day averages of cases and hospitalizations.
As of Oct. 3, a total of 2,022,491 Alabamians have been fully vaccinated, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health. At East Alabama Medical Center and EAMC-Lanier, there are currently 29 patients hospitalized with COVID-19.
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My Ly, junior in journalism, is the community editor of The Auburn Plainsman.
