By Craig Monger
Governor Kay Ivey announced on Friday, Oct. 8, that she would be extending Alabama’s COVID-19 state of emergency. The order was announced after the daily reported cases of the virus dropped by 70% from early September of this year.
The original public health state of emergency was announced in August of 2021 and was slated to expire on Oct. 13. It will now be extended until Oct. 31.
“The Covid-19 virus persists in Alabama and the nation, and it continues to present a serious threat to the public health, taxing Alabama hospitals, many of which were already struggling to staff their facilities,” Ivey said.
The state of emergency gives additional aid to hospitals and aide workers and expands the capacity for healthcare facilities. It also dispelled the hourly driving restrictions for truck drivers transporting goods that could be used for addressing COVID-19.
The state of emergency also gives government agencies and local authorities the ability to enter into public contracts without advertising bids for the contracts, so long as they are needed to adequately respond to the public health threat posed by COVID-19.
