MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama’s governor is giving state agencies permission to allow their employees to work from home.
Employees should plan to return to regular work schedules on April 6, Gov. Kay Ivey said on Twitter Sunday.
Alabama now has 22 confirmed cases of coronavirus as of Sunday night, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health.
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.
The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. People with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover, according to the World Health Organization.
Alabama reported its first confirmed case of the virus on Friday, although public health officials cautioned that virus was already circulating in the state. Twelve of the confirmed cases are in Jefferson County.