The City of Madison continues to meet with Health Officials to stay abreast of the COVID-19 status in our area. Find information on testing, and precautions to take locally through the pandemic. Madison remains in a State of Emergency to allow leaders to make quick decisions regarding gatherings and/or purchasing needs. Please practice social distancing and thoroughly wash hands throughout the day. The following links are trusted and verified sources for our community:
Madison City Schools Alternative Learning
ADPH Guidelines as of March 27th
Huntsville Hospital Fever and Flu Clinic
Crestwood Medical Center Patient Guidelines
Alabama Department of Public Health
CDC Corona Virus Guidelines
World Health Organization
Huntsville Madison County Chamber Economic and Business Resources
State Health orders statewide through April 17th:
Effective March 28, 2020 at 5:00 P.M., all non-work related gatherings of 10 persons or more, or non-work related gatherings of any size that cannot maintain a consistent six-foot distance between persons, are prohibited. Employers shall take all reasonable steps to meet these standards for employees and customers.
Effective March 28, 2020 at 5:00 P.M., the following “non-essential” businesses, venues, and activities shall be closed to non-employees or not take place:
Entertainment venues as follows:
(1) Night clubs
(2) Bowling alleys
(3) Arcades
(4) Concert venues
(5) Theaters, auditoriums, and performing arts centers
(6) Tourist attractions (including museums and planetariums)
(7) Racetracks
(8) Indoor children’s play areas
(9) Adult entertainment venues
(10) Casinos
(11) Bingo halls
(12) V enues operated by social clubs
Athletic facilities and activities as follows:
(1) Fitness centers and commercial gyms
(2) Spas and public or commercial swimming pools
(3) Yoga, barre, and spin facilities
(4) Spectator sports
(5) Sports that involve interaction with another person of closer than 6 feet
(6) Activities that require use of shared sporting apparatus and equipment
(7) Activities on commercial or public playground equipment
Close-contact service providers as follows:
(1) Barber shops
(2) Hair salons
(3) Waxing salons
(4) Threading salons
(5) Nail salons and spas
(6) Body-art facilities and tattoo services
(7) Tanning salons
(8) Massage-therapy establishments and massage services
d. Retail
(1) Furniture and home-furnishings stores
(2) Clothing, shoe, and clothing-accessory stores
(3) Jewelry, luggage, and leather goods stores
(4) Department stores
(5) Sporting goods stores
(6) Book, craft, and music stores
Stores as follows:
3. Effective March 19, 2020, at 5:00 P.M., all beaches shall be closed. For purposes of this section, the term “beach” means the sandy shoreline area abutting the Gulf of Mexico, whether privately or publicly owned, including beach access points.
4. Effective Friday, March 20, 2020, all regular programs at Senior Citizen Centers shall be ended except that Senior Citizen Centers and their partners are urged to assure that their clients continue to receive needed meals via curbside pick-up or delivery.
5. Effective today, the following shall be closed:
a. In-person instruction or classes at all schools, public and private, including but not limited to: elementary, secondary, postsecondary, technical, or specialty schools, and colleges and universities.
(1) This order is not intended to prevent any employers from making continued necessary staffing decisions. Employers are authorized to advise employees to work from home or maintain flexible work schedules. If working from home is not feasible, the employee should practice social distancing (by maintaining consistent six-foot distance between persons) and follow public health guidelines.
(2) This order shall not apply to daytime special activities programs provided by local boards of education for children, ages 6 through 12 as of March 13, 2020, of First Responders (including EMS and Fire Services) and Licensed Healthcare Providers, and their essential employees, and essential employees of the following categories of employers: State and Local Governments, Law Enforcement, Hospitals, Nursing Home/Long Term Care Facilities (including Assisted Living and Specialty Care Assisted Living Facilities), End Stage Renal Disease Treatment Centers, Pharmacies, and Grocery Stores. In these special activities programs, 12 or more children shall not be allowed in any one room at the same time, and operators of these programs are encouraged to use enhanced sanitation practices consistent with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Alabama Department of Public Health.
b. Facilities providing child day care, including any child day care facility described in Ala. Code § 38-7-2, at which 12 or more children are in a room or other enclosed or separated space at the same time. Center employees are encouraged to use enhanced sanitation and social- distancing practices consistent with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Alabama Department of Public Health. This Order does not change the Minimum Standards for Day Care promulgated by the Alabama Department of Human Resources, except that 12 or more children shall not be allowed in a room or other enclosed or separated space at the same time.
6. Effective immediately, all Hospitals and Nursing Home/Long Term Care Facilities (including Assisted Living and Specialty Care Assisted Living Facilities) shall prohibit visitation of all visitors, as defined by the facility, and non-essential health care personnel, except for certain compassionate care situations such as maternity and end-of-life.
7. Effective March 28, 2020 at 5:00 P.M., all dental, medical, or surgical procedures shall be postponed until further notice, subject to the following exceptions:
a. Dental, medical, or surgical procedures necessary to treat an emergency medical condition. For purposes of this order, “emergency medical condition” is defined as a medical condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain, psychiatric disturbances, and/or symptoms of substance abuse) such that the absence of immediate medical attention could reasonably be expected by a person’s licensed medical provider to result in placing the health of the person in serious jeopardy or causing serious impairment to bodily functions or serious dysfunction of bodily organs.
b. Dental, medical, or surgical procedures necessary to avoid serious harm from an underlying condition or disease, or necessary as part of a patient’s ongoing and active treatment.
8. Effective March 19, 2020, at 5:00 P.M., all restaurants, bars, breweries, or similar establishments shall not permit on-premises consumption of food or drink.
a. Such establishments may continue to offer food for take-out or delivery provided the social distancing protocols, including maintaining a consistent six-foot distance between persons, are followed.
b. Such establishments are strongly encouraged to offer online ordering and curbside pick-up of food.
c. Hospital food service areas are excluded from this order provided they have their own social distancing plan.
9. If organizers or sponsors of otherwise suspended events desire, they may submit a request for an exemption from this order. While the State Health Officer is under no obligation to grant such an exemption, it shall be fairly considered based on the following criteria:
a. Effective measures have been taken to identify those attending the event who may potentially be affected with COVID-19, including but not limited to personal testing for the disease or submission of current medical clearances to the organizer.
b. Effective measures have been taken to prevent the spread of infection even by those that are infected while not symptomatic, including the provision of anti-infection measures such as proper face masks, personal sanitation measures, and other measures that may be considered proper.
The State Health Officer’s discretion under this section includes the discretion to refer exemption requests from Jefferson and Mobile Counties to the respective County Health Officer for those counties for evaluation as described above.
10. This Order shall remain in full force and effect until 5:00 P.M. on April 17, 2020. Prior to 5:00 P.M. on April 17, 2020, a determination shall be made whether to extend this Order—or, if circumstances permit, to relax this Order.
11. This Order supersedes and preempts all orders previously issued by the State Health Officer and Jefferson and Mobile County Health Officers concerning COVID-19 mitigation measures. After the date this amended order is issued, the Jefferson and Mobile County Health Officers are authorized, after approval by the State Health Officer, to implement more stringent measures as local circumstances require.
ADPH Hotline Information
The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) has activated a statewide informational hotline and a general information e-mail address to field questions from the public about the novel coronavirus COVID-19.
The addition of a hotline for general questions will give the public the ability to speak with someone who can direct them to information that will lead to better informed decisions to protect their health.
The toll-free hotline and e-mail address are as follows:
· COVID-19 General Information - 800-270-7268
Telephone calls are answered from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. daily.
· The COVID-19 General Information Email address - covid19info@adph.state.al.us
In addition, a toll-free phone line provides information about available testing sites and hours of operation. This phone number is 888-264-2256. Callers will be asked for their zip code to help locate the site nearest them.
The ADPH website at alabamapublichealth.gov also offers a wealth of information and guidance about COVID-19 recommendations. Frequently asked questions are answered at http://alabamapublichealth.gov/infectiousdiseases/cov-faq.html
ASSISTANCE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
Governor Kay Ivey announced that small businesses across Alabama negatively impacted by the coronavirus pandemic are eligible for assistance under the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.
Click here to register for free webinars and learn more about the application process: ASBDC.org/register
The program will help qualified businesses and non-profit organizations recover from economic losses tied to the abrupt downturn triggered by the COVID-19 disease.
“Small businesses represent the backbone of Alabama’s economy, and many of them need immediate help in these trying times,” Governor Ivey said. “My team has worked closely with the SBA in recent days to make this economic assistance possible. We’re all grateful to President Trump and the SBA for responding rapidly to the problems faced by small businesses in Alabama.”
SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans offer up to $2 million in assistance for an eligible small business. These loans can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing.
These low-interest loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact.
Businesses must qualify for EIDL assistance. For more information, go to the SBA’s COVID-19 disaster assistance web page.
Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, said the department’s Office of Small Business Advocacy has heard from many small business owners around the state who are being squeezed by the sudden decline in economic activity brought on by the emergence of coronavirus.
“Small businesses are the lifeblood of communities all across Alabama, employing local residents and sustaining economic vitality,” Secretary Canfield said. “It’s critical that small businesses around the state remain healthy, and the SBA’s disaster loan program could prove to be a lifeline for many of them.”
Commerce worked with the Alabama Emergency Management Agency and the Alabama Small Business Development Center to prepare Alabama’s application for the SBA’s EIDL program. The SBA granted Alabama’s application today.
“This was a team effort that will help many small business owners in Alabama make it through this crisis and move forward to thrive once again,” Governor Ivey said.
According to data from the SBA’s Office of Advocacy, there are nearly 400,000 small businesses in Alabama, employing nearly half of all Alabama workers.
COVID Scams
The Madison community needs to be aware of potential scams concerning COVID-19. The FCC has received reports of scam and hoax text message campaigns and scam robocalls offering free home testing kits, promoting bogus cures, selling health insurance, and preying on virus-related fears. Do not answer any text, email or phone messages asking for your personal or financial information.
Find more information at https://www.fcc.gov/covid-scams.