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Documenting Alabama's path to recovery from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021

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Ballotpedia’s coverage of COVID-19 includes how federal, state, and local governments are responding, and how those responses are influencing election rules and operations, political campaigns, the economy, schools, and more.

This article contains a general timeline of noteworthy state government responses to the coronavirus pandemic since April 2020. It also includes details on three specific types of state responses to the pandemic:

Additionally, the article includes:


Response news updates

The following section provides a timeline of Alabama's reopening activity beginning in April 2020. The entries, which come from our Documenting America's Path to Recovery newsletter, are sorted by month in reverse chronological order. The date shown is the day that we wrote about them in the newsletter. They appear exactly as they appeared in the newsletter.

July 2021

  • July 8: On July 6, Gov. Kay Ivey (R) ended the coronavirus state of emergency.

June 2021

  • June 21: The state stopped participating in pandemic-related federal unemployment benefit programs on June 19. Gov. Kay Ivey (R) made the announcement May 10.

May 2021

  • May 25: Gov. Kay Ivey (R) signed a bill prohibiting the government from issuing “standardized documentation for the purpose of certifying immunization status.” The bill also prohibits state agencies, schools, and businesses from requiring individuals to prove their vaccination status to access facilities or services.
  • May 11: Gov. Kay Ivey (R) announced the state will stop participating in pandemic-related federal unemployment benefit programs starting June 19. Alabama is one of seven states that have announced federal benefits will end by June 30 or earlier.
  • May 4: Gov. Kay Ivey (R) extended the Safer Apart public health order until May 31 and the coronavirus emergency order until July 6. Ivey said she will not extend the orders further.

April 2021

  • April 9: Gov. Kay Ivey (R) issued a Safer Apart order that takes effect April 9 and runs through May 5. It replaces the Safer at Home order, which was extended and modified several times since it was implemented on April 30, 2020. The Safer Apart order lifts most restrictions on businesses and individuals, including the statewide mask requirement. The order recommends people continue mitigation practices like wearing masks in public and social distancing. The mask order took effect July 16, 2020. For more information on the Safer Apart order, click here.
  • April 5: On April 2, Gov. Kay Ivey (R) announcedthe state would expand vaccine eligibility to all residents 16 years of age and older on April 5. The Alabama Department of Corrections announced it would begin vaccinating inmates on April 12.

March 2021

  • March 22: Residents age 55 or older and people ages 16-64 with state-defined, high-risk underlying conditions are eligible for vaccination starting March 22.
  • March 15: Gov. Kay Ivey (R) announced residents age 55 or older and people ages 16-64 with state-defined high-risk underlying conditions will be eligible for vaccination starting March 22.
  • March 10: A federal vaccination site is opening at United Center on March 10. The site can administer up to 6,000 vaccines a day. Residents age 65 and older started scheduling appointments to receive vaccinations at the site on March 4. Other people in Phase 1b, including anyone with high-risk conditions and some frontline essential workers, started scheduling appointments on March 7.
  • March 4: Gov. Kay Ivey (R) extended the state’s coronavirus emergency order, including the mask requirement, until 5:00 p.m. on April 9. Ivey said she will let the mask order expire on April 9.

February 2021

  • February 8: Individuals age 65 and older and certain frontline essential workers (including corrections officers and grocery store staff) are eligible to receive vaccinations starting Feb. 8. Previously, appointments were limited to individuals age 75 and older.
  • February 1: Gov. Kay Ivey (R) announced individuals age 65 and older and certain frontline essential workers (including corrections officers and grocery store staff) will be eligible to receive vaccinations starting Feb. 8. Currently, individuals age 75 and older are eligible to get vaccinated.

January 2021

  • January 22: Gov. Kay Ivey (R) extended the state’s Safer at Home order, including the requirement that people wear a face-covering in public spaces when social distancing with non-household members cannot be kept, until 5 p.m. on March 5.
  • January 11: Gov. Kay Ivey (R) announced individuals age 75 and older and first responders (including police officers and firefighters) will be eligible to receive a vaccine starting Jan. 18. Ivey said the change was not a full expansion into Phase 1b. Phase 1a currently includes healthcare workers and long-term care residents and staff.

December 2020

  • December 10: Gov. Kay Ivey (R) extended the state’s Safer at Home order, including the requirement that people wear a face-covering in public spaces when social distancing with non-household members cannot be kept, until 5 p.m. on Jan. 22, 2021.

November 2020

  • November 23: The state released a contact tracing app that can notify users of possible coronavirus exposure.
  • November 19: Gov. Kay Ivey (R) announced a $200 million relief program. Organizations with 50 or fewer employees, including small businesses, nonprofits, and faith-based groups, can apply for up to $20,000 to offset expenses from interruptions to normal operations.
  • November 6: Gov. Kay Ivey (R) extended the state’s mask requirement through Dec. 11. Ivey also amended the Safer at Home order to remove occupancy limits on gyms, retailers, and entertainment venues.

September 2020

  • September 30: Gov. Kay Ivey (R) extended the state’s Safer at Home order, which includes the public mask requirement, through Nov. 8.

August 2020

  • August 27: Gov. Kay Ivey (R) extended the state’s mask mandate through Oct. 2. At a press conference, Ivey said, “I understand you don't want to wear a mask; I don't either . . . But we are seeing significant drops (in COVID-19 infections) that are no doubt due to the mask order.”
  • August 4: The Alabama Department of Public Health released an 85-page school reopening toolkit. It contains recommendations and guidelines for school districts to incorporate into their reopening plans.

July 2020

  • July 30: Gov. Kay Ivey (R) extended her Safer At Home Order through Aug. 31. She modified the order’s existing mask mandate to extend to students at schools (second grade and older) and colleges.
  • July 27: In a July 24 discussion with U.S. Sen. Doug Jones (D), Superintendent of Education Eric Mackey said he expected about half of the state’s public school students to attend classes remotely in the fall.
  • July 16: Gov. Kay Ivey (R) announced a mandatory mask order effective at 5 p.m. on July 16. Face coverings are required in public when interacting within six feet with people of another household. The order has a penalty of $500 or jail time.
  • July 1: Gov. Kay Ivey (R) extended the state’s safer at home order through July 31. The order first went into effect on May 22 and is effectively the first phase of the state’s reopening plan. The order was initially scheduled to end on July 3.

June 2020

  • June 26: Alabama Superintendent of Education Eric Mackey released reopening guidance for schools. The guidance allows local school officials to determine face-covering requirements and physical distancing protocols.

May 2020

  • May 22: Gov. Kay Ivey (R) announced that an amended safer at home order would take effect at 5 p.m. on May 22. The amended order allows entertainment venues, athletic activities, educational institutions, child care facilities, and summer camps to open under social distancing and sanitation guidelines. The amended order is set to last until July 3.
  • May 11: On Friday, May 8, Gov. Kay Ivey (R) announced that restaurants, hair and nail salons, and gyms could begin limited operations as of today. Restaurants, bars, and breweries can open with table limits of 8 people and six-foot distances between dining groups. Gyms and salons can open at 50% capacity and with social distancing and sanitation rules.
  • May 4: Superintendent of Schools Eric Mackey released a phased reopening plan for public schools in the state. The plan allows children older than 13 to hold athletic practice or summer school in groups smaller than 10 starting June 8. Summer literary camps could start July 6, and full band and athletic practices could begin in early August. Alabama is one of 48 states that closed schools to in-person instruction for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year. It is a Republican trifecta.

April 2020

  • April 28: Gov. Kay Ivey (R) announced the state would transition from a “Stay At Home” order to a “Safer At Home” order beginning on April 30 at 5 p.m. and lasting until May 15. The new order will allow some businesses to reopen under sanitation and social-distancing guidelines, retail stores to open at 50% max occupancy, and beaches to reopen with gatherings limited to 10 and required social distancing. Restaurants will remain limited to takeout and delivery. Alabama is a Republican trifecta.


Vaccine distribution

This section contains a table of quick facts on the state’s vaccine distribution plan and a timeline of noteworthy events, including updates on vaccine availability for new groups of individuals, changes to state distribution plans, and much more. If you know of a noteworthy story we are missing, please email us at editor@ballotpedia.org.

The Alabama Department of Public Health released a distribution plan on November 16, 2020.

Quick facts

Alabama state vaccination plan quick information
What governing entities are responsible for vaccine allocation and distribution?[1] Alabama Department of Public Health's (1) External Executive

Committee and (2) Internal Executive Committee

Where can I find a quick breakdown of phases in my state? Alabama COVID-19 Vaccination Allocation Plan
Where can I find the distribution plan? Alabama COVID-19 Interim Vaccination Plan
When was the plan first released to the public? November 16, 2020
When was the plan most recently updated? November 16, 2020
Where can I find answers to frequently asked questions? COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ
Where can I find data related to the coronavirus vaccine in my state? Alabama's COVID-19 Dashboard Hub
Where is the state health department's homepage? Alabama Department of Public Health
Where can I find additional information about the state's vaccine distribution? The COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plan in Alabama - AARP

Timeline

  • April 5, 2021: Alabama expanded vaccine eligibility to all residents 16 years of age and older on April 5.[2]
  • April 2, 2021: The Alabama Department of Corrections announced it would begin vaccinating inmates on April 12.[2]
  • March 22, 2021: Alabama residents aged 55 or older and people aged 16-64 with state-defined, high-risk underlying conditions became eligible for vaccination.[3]
  • March 12, 2021: Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) announced residents age 55 or older and people ages 16-64 with state-defined high-risk underlying conditions would be eligible for vaccination starting March 22.[4]
  • February 8, 2021: In Alabama, individuals age 65 and older and certain frontline essential workers (including corrections officers and grocery store staff) became eligible to receive vaccinations. Previously, appointments were limited to individuals age 75 and older.[5]
  • January 29, 2021: Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) announced individuals age 65 and older and certain frontline essential workers (including corrections officers and grocery store staff) would be eligible to receive vaccinations starting Feb. 8. At the time of the announcement, individuals age 75 and older were eligible to get vaccinated.[6]
  • January 8, 2021: Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) announced individuals age 75 and older and first responders (including police officers and firefighters) would be eligible to receive a vaccine starting Jan. 18.[7]

School reopenings and closures

See also: School responses in Alabama to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

Schools in Alabama were closed to in-person instruction on March 18, 2020, and remained closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year. The state allowed schools to start reopening on June 1, 2020. The timeline below lists statewide responses we tracked.

  • June 29, 2021: At the end of the school year, Burbio reported most schools were in-person in Alabama .[8][9]
  • Sept. 10, 2020: At the beginning of the school year, Burbio reported a majority of schools were using virtual or hybrid learning in Alabama .[10][11]
  • August 3, 2020: The Alabama Department of Public Health released an 85-page school reopening toolkit. It contained recommendations and guidelines for school districts to incorporate into their reopening plans.[12]
  • July 29, 2020: Gov. Kay Ivey (R) extended her Safer At Home Order through August 31. She modified the order’s existing mask mandate to extend to students at schools (second grade and older) and colleges.[13]
  • June 26, 2020: Superintendent Eric Mackey released reopening guidance for schools. Mackey said that the 50-page document was not a mandate but that it should be used by school districts to craft their individual reopening plans.[14]
  • May 21, 2020: Ivey announced that schools could reopen beginning June 1 if they followed social distancing and sanitation guidelines.[15]


  • March 26, 2020: Ivey announced that schools would be closed for the remainder of the academic year. Prior to the announcement, schools were scheduled to reopen on April 6.[16]
  • March 13, 2020: Ivey closed schools across the state from March 18 through April 5. She said that students absent from school on March 16-17 would be considered excused.[17]

Statewide travel restrictions

See also: Travel restrictions issued by states in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021

As of September 7, 2021, Alabama had not issued any travel restrictions.

More information can be found at the Alabama Tourism Department.


Statewide mask requirements

See also: State-level mask requirements in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020


On July 15, Gov. Kay Ivey (R) announced a mask order, effective on July 16, requiring face coverings in public when social distancing with non-household members cannot be kept.

The mask order ended April 9, 2021.


Noteworthy lawsuits

See also: Lawsuits about state actions and policies in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021

Munza v. Ivey: On August 11, 2020, Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Greg Griffin dismissed a lawsuit challenging Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s (R) authority to mandate the wearing of face masks to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. In their complaint, the plaintiffs argued that the mask mandate was promulgated in violation of the Alabama Administrative Procedure Act (AAPA). The plaintiffs alleged that the Alabama Board of Health failed to meet statutory notice and administrative review requirements prior to the issuance of the mask mandate. As a result, the plaintiffs argued, the order was "nothing more than an expression, and does not carry the weight of law and it cannot be valid or effective against any person or party until the proper procedures are met." In their motion to dismiss, state officials argued that the plaintiffs incorrectly challenged the legal basis for the mask mandate. They argued that because Ivey incorporated the order into a gubernatorial proclamation under her own authority, granted by the Emergency Management Act, the plaintiffs' claims were without merit. After hearing oral arguments, Griffin dismissed the case from the bench without explanation.[18][19][20]

The plaintiffs appealed to the state supreme court. On March 19, 2021, the Alabama Supreme Court unanimously affirmed the lower court's dismissal, finding that the plaintiffs lacked standing to proceed with their action. Justice Michael Bolin (R), writing for the court, said that the plaintiffs had failed to prove they were directly injured by the statewide mask order. Bolin also said that the plaintiffs had failed "to even state that they have refused to wear masks or facial coverings in public such that they could be subject to an enforcement action." Alabama's mask mandate was set to expire on April 9, 2021.[21][22]

Case v. Ivey: On September 24, 2020, seven Alabama residents, represented by former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore (R), filed suit in federal district court against Governor Kay Ivey (R) and State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris. The plaintiffs alleged that both Ivey and Harris had repeatedly exceeded their constitutional authority by issuing emergency orders. The plaintiffs argued that the "Orders, Proclamations, and Mandates of both Governor Ivey and State Health Officer Harris" had been enforced as law and thus "violate the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment." The plaintiffs also alleged that Ivey and Harris had "unlawfully and in direct contradiction to the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment … effectively prohibited worship services" through the imposition of gathering size restrictions and social distancing orders. In response to the filing, a spokeswoman for Ivey said, "The governor is pleased with our state’s progress in terms of COVID-19 and reminds everyone to keep at it." Although the suit was originally filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, it was later moved to the Middle District.[23][24]

Alabama Association of Realtors v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: On May 5, 2021, Judge Dabney Friedrich, appointed to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia by Donald Trump (R), vacated the nationwide eviction moratorium issued by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In their complaint, the plaintiffs, a group of realtors and real estate management companies, argued that the eviction moratorium was an "improper exercise of executive authority that does not comply with federal law." In her decision, Friedrich framed the legal question as a narrow one: "Does the Public Health Service Act grant the CDC the legal authority to impose a nationwide eviction moratorium?" Friedrich found that while the Public Health Service Act "authorizes the Department to combat the spread of disease through a range of measures," it nevertheless "unambiguously forecloses the nationwide eviction moratorium." The Department of Justice filed a notice of appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and motioned to stay Friedrich’s order pending appeal. The motion to stay was granted, a decision which the plaintiffs appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States.[25][26][27]

On June 29, 2021, the Supreme Court of the United States declined to vacate the stay, allowing the moratorium to remain in effect pending appeal, The court denied the application to vacate the stay in an unsigned order. Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett said they would have vacated the stay, meaning the remaining justices (Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Brett Kavanaugh) formed the deciding majority. In a concurring opinion, Kavanaugh said that, while he agreed the CDC had "exceeded its existing statutory authority," a balance of equities favored the stay because "the CDC plans to end the moratorium in only a few weeks."[28]

Officials and candidates diagnosed with or quarantined due to coronavirus

See also: Government official, politician, and candidate deaths, diagnoses, and quarantines due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021

The table below lists officials or candidates who have been diagnosed with or quarantined due to coronavirus. The most recent announcements appear first.

Name Office Date Status
Will Ainsworth Lieutenant Governor of Alabama October 21, 2020 On October 21, 2020, Ainsworth announced that he had tested positive for coronavirus and that he would self-quarantine.[29]
Randy Price Alabama State Senate District 13 July 11, 2020 Price was hospitalized due to COVID-19.[30]
Robert Aderholt U.S. House Alabama District 4 December 4, 2020 On December 4, 2020, Aderholt announced he had tested positive for COVID-19.[31]
Randall Woodfin Mayor of Birmingham December 30, 2020 Woodfin's office announced he had tested positive for coronavirus.[32]
Mike Rogers (Alabama) U.S. House Alabama District 3 December 17, 2020 Rogers announced that he had tested positive for coronavirus.[33]
Jo Bonner Chief of Staff to the Governor of Alabama August 14, 2020 Bonner's spokeswoman announced that he was self-quarantining at home after his wife tested positive for COVID-19.[34]


Paths to recovery by state

To read about other states’ responses and recoveries, click one of the links below:

Other state government responses

To view previous coverage areas, including changes to 2020 election dates and policies, initial stay-at-home orders, coronavirus-related legislation, and much more, click a state in the map below.

https://ballotpedia.org/Government_responses_to_and_political_effects_of_the_coronavirus_pandemic,_2020_(STATE)

General resources

The chart below shows coronavirus statistics from countries across the world. The information is provided by Real Clear Politics.

Click the links below to explore official resources related to the coronavirus outbreak.

See also

Footnotes

  1. Found in Section 7 of the state's distribution plan.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named AL42
  3. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named AL322
  4. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named AL312
  5. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named AL28
  6. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named AL129
  7. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named AL18
  8. Burbio rated Alabama's in-person index at 96.5. To read more about Burbio's school opening tracker, click here. To read more about Burbio's methodology, click here.
  9. Burbio, "Burbio's K-12 School Opening Tracker," accessed September 29, 2021
  10. Burbio rated Alabama's in-person index at between 20-40. To read more about Burbio's school opening tracker, click here. To read more about Burbio's methodology, click here.
  11. Burbio, "Burbio's K-12 School Opening Tracker," accessed September 29, 2021
  12. WSFA, "ADPH releases toolkit for reopening schools ," August 3, 2020
  13. Alabama News Network, "Mask Required in Alabama Schools & Colleges, Governor Ivey Extends Safer At Home Order Until August 31," July 29, 2020
  14. Montgomery Advertiser, "Alabama State Superintendent Eric Mackey unveils schools reopening plans for fall 2020," June 26, 2020
  15. Governor of Alabama, "Safer at Home Order," accessed May 22, 2020
  16. AL.com, "Alabama schools closed for the rest of year, instruction goes online," March 26, 2020
  17. WHNT, "State of Emergency issued, public schools to close, COVID-19 case confirmed in North Alabama," March 13, 2020
  18. AL.com, "Judge dismisses lawsuit challenging Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s statewide mask order," August 11, 2020
  19. Montgomery County Circuit Court, "Munza v. Ivey: Complaint," July 24, 2020
  20. Montgomery County Circuit Court, "Munza v. Ivey: Motion to Dismiss," July 27, 2020
  21. Montgomery County Circuit Court, "Munza v. Ivey: Complaint for Temporary Restraining Order, Preliminary Injunction, and Injunctive Relief," accessed March 23, 2021
  22. Supreme Court of Alabama, "Munza v. Ivey: Appeal from Montgomery Circuit Court," March 19, 2021
  23. United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, "Case v. Ivey: Complaint," September 24, 2020
  24. AL.com, "Gov. Kay Ivey, Public Health Officer Scott Harris sued over mask order, other coronavirus measures," September 24, 2020
  25. United States District Court for the District of Columbia, "Alabama Association of Realtors v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Memorandum Opinion," May 5, 2021
  26. United States District Court for the District of Columbia, "Alabama Association of Realtors v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief," November 20, 2020
  27. United States District Court for the District of Columbia, "Alabama Association of Realtors v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Notice of Appeal," May 5, 2021
  28. Supreme Court of the United States, "Alabama Association of Realtors v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: On Application to Vacate Stay," June 29, 2021
  29. StarTribune, "Alabama lieutenant governor tests positive for COVID-19," October 21, 2020
  30. Bama Politics, "Alabama State Senator Randy Price In ICU With COVID-19," July 12, 2020
  31. The Hill, "Alabama Republican becomes third House member to test positive for COVID-19 this week," December 4, 2020
  32. WBRC, "Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin tests positive for COVID-19," December 30, 2020
  33. WSFA, "Congressman Mike Rogers tests positive for COVID-19," December 17, 2020
  34. Daily Independent', "Alabama governor's chief of staff quarantines after exposure," August 14, 2020