MONTGOMERY, Alabama (AP) – Breaking with other Southern Republican Party governors, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey extended her state’s mask order for another month on Thursday, but said the requirement would definitely end in April.
Following the recommendations of medical officials, Ivey said he would maintain the order of the mask that would expire on Friday until April 9.
“We need to get past Easter and hopefully allow more Alabamians to get their first chance before we take a step that some other states have taken to remove the mask order altogether and lift other restrictions. Guys, we’re not there yet, but God knows we’re getting close, ”said Ivey at a news conference.
The governor said the masks have been “one of our greatest tools” in preventing the spread of the virus, but emphasized that it will not extend the order of the masks further, saying that this will become a matter of personal responsibility when the term ends. .
“Even when we suspend the order of the masks, I will continue to wear my mask as long as I am close to other people and I strongly urge my fellow citizens to use common sense and do the same,” said Ivey.
So far, only about 13% of Alabama’s 4.9 million people have received a dose of the vaccine, according to state figures.
State health officer Scott Harris said vaccine supplies are increasing and if the state can get a cumulative total of 1.75 million vaccines by the beginning of April, this would be an “incredible place to be”.
Harris said about 500,000 people in the state tested positive for the virus and there are probably others who did, but they didn’t know.
“We are striving to reach that point of herd immunity at some point,” said Harris.
Medical officials welcomed Ivey’s decision after recommending an extension, arguing that easing restrictions before more people were vaccinated could reverse recent improvements. Alabama’s seven-day average of daily cases has dropped from 3,000 in early January to less than 1,000 and hospitalizations are at their lowest point since the summer.
“This is very good news. It gives us a month to vaccinate more people and better understand the role of the UK variant,” said Dr. Don Williamson, a former state health officer who now heads the Hospital Association. from Alabama.
Dr. Ellen Eaton, who specializes in infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, said that schools and organizations serving people who have not yet received a vaccine will need to “carefully consider how to proceed” once the order is finished.
“For many, continuous masking will be necessary, as in schools and colleges. But leadership in these spaces needs time to think about the health and policy implications of recommending masks in the absence of a mandate, ”she said.
Ivey has faced political pressure to remove order from the mask, like some other Republican-led states did. Texas and neighboring Mississippi are easing health restrictions as the number of vaccinations increases and diseases related to the new coronavirus decrease. In extending the order for five weeks, Ivey threaded a political needle – following the recommendations of medical officials, but also informing people that there will be a firm end date.
Some social media users were sharing the phone number with the governor’s office and asking callers to express opposition to the rule. And the Alabama Senate passed a resolution on Wednesday night urging Ivey to end the mask’s term.
Republican Governor Will Ainsworth also asked Ivey to end the mask requirement, which he has opposed all the time, saying that individuals can make decisions for themselves and follow safety rules until vaccines and immunity levels are met. are sufficient.
“But we can do all these things without a Big Brother-style government mandate hanging over us,” said Ainsworth in a statement.
The governor has lifted some restrictions on how many people can sit at a restaurant table, but the tables must still be 6 feet (2 meters) apart or have a divider. The dispatch also allowed seniors to resume some activities and hospitals to increase the number of visitors that patients can receive from one to two.
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