DOTHAN, Ala. – Gov. Kay Ivey on Monday announced the state’s coronavirus pandemic public health order and state of emergency will soon be allowed to expire.
The COVID-19 public health order — which previously included a statewide mask mandate that Ivey allowed to expire on April 9 — is scheduled to end on Monday, May 31.
Alabama’s state of emergency will end on Tuesday, July 6.
“For over a year now, Alabamians, like people around the globe, have made sacrifices and adjusted to a temporary ‘new normal,'” Ivey said in a statement. “We have learned much since last year, and this is absolutely now a managed pandemic. Our infection rates and hospitalizations are in better shape, and over 1.5 million Alabamians have had at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine. Alabamians have consistently stepped up to the plate over the course of this pandemic, and I know they will continue to do so. I am pleased that we have shown the rest of the country that we are gritty and determined. We are signaling loud and clear that Alabama is open, and we are moving forward.”
Ivey first declared a state of emergency on March 13, 2020, after the Alabama Department of Public Health reported the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the state.
Since then, nearly 11,000 Alabamians have died from COVID-19, as total confirmed COVID-19 cases near 530,000.
Though the seven-day average of new cases in Alabama has risen slightly since early April, hospitalizations remain low and deaths have dramatically declined since an early 2021-surge.
“As we approach the fourteenth month of this pandemic, we are pleased that two-thirds of Alabama residents age 65 and older have been vaccinated,” Dr. Scott Harris said. “While some barriers such as transportation remain, more than 1,300 providers in the state are administering safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine in communities throughout the state.”
According to the most recent ADPH data, 2,562,136 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the state to date to 1,511,830 people, with a little over 1.5 people having completed their full dose.
“Look, I have been vaccinated. I believe in the science, believe that it works and have confidence in it. So, like I said, I have been fully vaccinated, and I will live like I have been fully vaccinated. Similar to when we ended the mask requirement, this final extension gives all Alabama health care providers, businesses and individuals adequate time to make preparations,” Ivey said.
The expiration of the public health order and state of emergency will likely not impact many Alabamians’ day-to-day. With the cancellation of the statewide mask mandate, the current “Safer Apart” order primarily consisted of recommendations for employers, schools and other entities to “encourage” mask wearing and other health protocols.
The order does currently require Senior Citizen Centers to follow specific guidelines issued by the Alabama Department of Senior Services. Hospitals and nursing homes are also required to follow federal guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Ivey’s office said these remaining requirements “should be lifted” after the Safer Apart order expires at the end of the month, “barring a great spike in COVID-19 cases.”
