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Alabama governor allows beaches, retail stores to open with limits

A worker directs a patient to stay in the car as the Morgan County Health Department begins its first day of COVID-19 testing at the site, Wednesday, April 15, 2020, in Decatur, Ala. (Dan Busey/The Decatur Daily via AP)
A worker directs a patient to stay in the car as the Morgan County Health Department begins its first day of COVID-19 testing at the site, Wednesday, April 15, 2020, in Decatur, Ala. (Dan Busey/The Decatur Daily via AP) A worker directs a patient to stay in the car as the Morgan County Health Department begins its first day of COVID-19 testing at the site, Wednesday, April 15, 2020, in Decatur, Ala. (Dan Busey/The Decatur Daily via AP)

By KIM CHANDLER / Associated Press 2 min read

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Tuesday said that retail stores, beaches and non-emergency medical procedures can resume, with limits, later this week as she announced a loosening of state restrictions because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Ivey said a “safer at home” order will take effect 5 p.m. Thursday evening when the current stay-home order expires. The restrictions will continue through May 15. Ivey said the state can “roll back” some of the restrictions that had been in place.

“Like everyone else I look forward to easing back to our routines with caution,” Ivey said in a news conference.

The changes do not go as far as Georgia’s aggressive timetable for reopening. Alabama restaurants will remain closed for on-site dining. Hair salons, nail salons, tattoo parlors and other close-contact services will remain closed.

She said the state has seen a leveling off, but not a decrease in virus cases. According to state health officials, there have been more than 6,500 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Alabama, and at least 241 virus-related deaths.