COVID-19 has been a disaster in Alabama, and it has only gotten worse. Last Thursday, Alabama hit a peak for patients with 693 hospitalizations and 82% of ICU beds being taken up, leaving only 259 beds available statewide. The UAB hospital, the largest hospital in Alabama and a hospital used for people in Birmingham and several rural cities across the state, has run out of beds. On the same day the count was taken, there were a confirmed 1,129 new cases, which was the highest recorded single-day increase in the state. It's obvious that our state is not ready for another imminent wave.

Over the past decade, Alabama has seen 17 rural hospitals close due to rising healthcare costs. This has forced tens of thousands of Alabamians to drive hours simply to visit a hospital. This was a problem before the outbreak, but now, during a pandemic, the system is strained over maximum capacity, and we’re seeing the effect of this today. 

Not only that, but citizens from Alabama must also go through mandatory quarantine when traveling to some states such as New York, Kansas, New Jersey, and Connecticut, simply because Alabama has failed to flatten their curve. For those who choose not to follow these orders, they can face up to $10,000 in fines. 

But most importantly, the death count within Alabama is increasing with over 900 recorded deaths and most likely even more. While younger people in good health have a lower chance of being hospitalized and a higher chance of being asymptomatic if they do become infected, older Alabamians over the age of 65 are at the highest risk of not only being symptomatic but also dying from the virus. According to the Alabama Department of Public Health, about 1 in 9 Alabamians over the age of 65 that have been diagnosed with COVID-19 have died. While making up only 17% of COVID-19 patients, people over the age of 65 make up 78% of all deaths in the state of Alabama. Wearing a mask protects populations that are disproportionately affected by the virus.

This means we must act now. The CDC has already recommended wearing a mask in public. This is corroborated with a WHO study that says that wearing masks only has a 3% risk of infection compared to a 17% risk without a mask, an overall reduction of 80%. In fact, the risk of transmission is the highest in the first 24-48 hours (this is AFTER exposure, but BEFORE symptoms start to show).

Jefferson County and the City of Montgomery have issued mask mandates but several other cities and towns across the state have yet to do so.

Most experts believe a vaccine will come out in mid-2021, meaning it will be a long time before life will return back to normal. It’s time for the Alabama government to do its duty to its citizens, and the Alabama citizens to do their duty to each other. The government has a duty to prioritize public health during an outbreak. We ask that the Alabama government enforces a mask mandate for the entire state.

Think of others before your needs. Have the compassion and decency to go through a minor inconvenience for the sake of others.

Proudly written by Cyprian Dumas, David Ioffreda, and Christian Rhoades.