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MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – Alabama health officials on Tuesday ordered the closure of day cares, senior centers and on-site restaurant dining in six counties to contain the coronavirus outbreak, while the governor weighs postponing the March 31 primary runoff.
The order from the Alabama Department of Public Health applies to Jefferson County, which has the highest number of cases, and the surrounding counties of Tuscaloosa, Walker, Blount, St. Clair and Shelby. Alabama has 39 confirmed cases of coronavirus, 21 of them in Jefferson County, which includes the city of Birmingham.
Private schools, day care centers and preschools serving more than 12 students in those six counties should close from Wednesday until April 6, the state said. Restaurants in those counties can offer takeout and delivery but not on-site dining for the next week.
The state also ordered nursing homes to limit visitation in those counties except for extraordinary situations such as when a person is dying. State health officials said gatherings of 25 or more people are prohibited in the six counties where a 6-foot (1.8-meter) distance cannot be maintained.
Alabama had previously ordered all public schools closed until April 6.
“We have not taken these decisions lightly,” State Health Officer Scott Harris said. “It’s time for Alabamians to hunker down, to isolate themselves, to stay away from other people. It is time to stay out of the public as much as you can.”
The Alabama attorney general’s office on Tuesday issued a legal opinion requested by Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill that determined the governor has the authority to postpone the March 31 primary runoff to protect public health and safety during an emergency. No decision on doing so has been made. Gina Maiola, a spokeswoman for Gov. Kay Ivey, said the “governor is in the process of thoroughly reviewing all factors surrounding moving Alabama’s upcoming runoff election.”
Merrill said he expects a decision to be announced Wednesday.
Harris said everyone in Alabama is urged to follow social distancing recommendations and the closures could eventually be ordered statewide.
A drive-thru coronavirus testing site set up at a church on U.S. 280 south of Birmingham had to be closed Tuesday after hundreds of vehicles snarled traffic on the heavily traveled highway. Officials hoped to reopen the operation Wednesday.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. Officials are trying to limit the spread of the virus to avoid overwhelming the health system.
The state action on restaurants, day care centers and nursing homes follows a similar order by the Jefferson County health officer that pertained only to that county. Harris said it is possible that the county has the highest number of recorded cases because more testing has taken place there.
The state’s recommendation of avoiding gatherings of 25 is looser than the White House recommendation of avoiding gatherings of 10 or more.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, was asked about Alabama at a White House news conference.
“If someone wants to do 25, we are not going to fault them. But if someone wants to come to us and ask us what we think the best is, we stand by the numbers,” Fauci said.
Ivey said she was encouraged to see so many people voluntarily following social distancing practices recommended by health officials.
“We should not take precautionary measures for granted, but I encourage everyone to remember the old adage, ‘This too shall pass.’ Adhering to smart protocol and practicing a little patience will pull us through this,” Ivey said.
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Associated Press reporter Jay Reeves in Alabaster, Alabama, contributed to this report.
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