Alabama is taking its first steps in reopening the state in a plan dubbed “Safer at Home.”
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announced Tuesday the current stay-at-home order due to coronavirus will be allowed to expire April 30 with the new plan in place May 1 - 15.
“What our citizens have done is working,” Ivey said. “As of this week we no longer believe our hospitals will see an overwhelming number of ICU patients who need ventilators and that is good news. This is the first phase in what we hope is a multi-phase reopening of our state. I know it will please some and make others frustrated that we are not going far enough.
“Our intent was never to pick winners and losers as some have suggested,” she added.
What’s changing:
People are encouraged to stay at home and practice good sanitation procedures but the stay-at-home order is lifted.
Most businesses may open subject to sanitation and social-distancing guidelines.
All retail stores will be allowed to reopen, subject to sanitation and social-distancing guidelines. Occupancy will be limited to 50 percent.
Beaches will reopen with no gatherings of 10 people or more allowed. People must maintain 6 feet of separation.
Elective medical procedures will restart with all COVID-19-related rules and guidelines from the state in place.
What’s not changing:
Restaurants, bars and breweries remain limited to take-out, curbside or delivery.
Non work-related gatherings of 10 people or more are prohibited. Drive-in gatherings are permitted if people stay in their cars with members of their own household.
Senior citizen centers remain closed except for meal pickup or delivery.
Funeral services still limited to 10 attendees who are kept 6 feet apart.
Schools remain closed for in-person instruction, with an exception for “daytime special activities programs.”
Child care facilities remain limited to 12 people or less per room.
Strict visitation policies remain in place for hospitals and nursing homes.
Entertainment venues, such as night clubs, theaters and bowling alleys will be closed.
Athletic facilities such as gyms will be closed.
Close-contact service providers such as barber shops, hair salons, nail salons, gyms and tattoo service will remain closed.
State Health Officer Scott Harris said he is aware that the reopening of salons, gyms and other type of close-contact businesses is being closely watched.
“The risk category is different in those than other types of businesses,” Harris said. “We hope to address that very soon.”
Also on Tuesday, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox announced a three-phase plan to reopen the city, with the first phase -- reopening general retail and commercial services at 50 percent capacity -- mirroring Ivey’s order.
Phase II of Tuscaloosa’s plan is dependent on Ivey’s plan going forward and Maddox said he doesn’t anticipate the next phase to begin before May 15. Under Phase II, restaurants can operate at no more than 50 percent capacity, bars could operate table services and close personal services such as barbers can operate by appointment only.
All Tuscaloosa businesses, including entertainment venues and fitness centers, could operate at 50 percent capacity under Phase III. Maddox said the third phase could start no earlier than May 22nd and assuming that Phase II gets underway May 15.
Maddox said the plan was made possible “because the city of Tuscaloosa, and more importantly the people of Tuscaloosa, took action to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus and put us in position to be thinking about the future that is on the horizon.”
Also related to Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s April 28 order:
Alabama houses of worship must remain closed, Gov. Ivey and pastor say
Alabama beaches reopening Thursday; limited to gatherings of fewer than 10 people
Dine-in still prohibited in Alabama, but some restaurants eager to reopen
Will there be a high school football season in 2020? ‘We are hopeful’
Elective medical, surgical, dental procedures can restart, state health officials say
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