As COVID-19 cases arise at the University of Alabama, the city of Tuscaloosa is taking new measures to curb the spread.
Bars will be closed for two weeks and bar service at restaurants will be suspended, Mayor Walt Maddox announced Monday morning. The new orders start Monday at 5 a.m. and run through Sept. 8.
The mayor said he will make an application to the Alabama Beverage Control Board to stop walk-up alcohol sales. Only customers sitting at the table can be sold alcohol, under these new orders.
Maddox said he would work with the city council to “make investments in our bars and restaurants to help them through this difficult time.” The full executive order of the city is posted on its website. In it, the mayor is asking for $ 400,000 in small business subsidies for businesses affected by the order.
President Stuart Bell of the University of Alabama said these measures were necessary to curb the increasing spread of COVID-19 on campus. He declined to give specific numbers of positive cases on campus, but said the UA System office will announce numbers later Monday. There is some concern about outbreaks in Greek homes, which were the subject of restrictions announced Friday.
The plan is to test up to 1,000 students a day, said Dr. Ricky Friend, dean of the UA College of Community Health Sciences, where a large number of positives have been documented.
“Without this intervention and the supportive measures of our partners in Student Life and the city, our epidemiology and medical teams feel that we will be in even greater jeopardy in the coming weeks,” Friend said.
Maddox said the executive order announced Monday was the result of talks he had with UA officials over the previous 48 hours.
“The ever-increasing number of coronavirus cases on campus will create two major disruptions for the city of Tuscaloosa if left unchecked,” Maddox said. “The first is to our health care system. From the beginning, the city has taken decisive action to protect DCH. This has been our North Star. The second constraint has been on our economy. UA has a $ 2 billion economic impact on our subway and thousands of our citizens depend on the jobs UA provides. I know this is not easy. I know the coronavirus has taken so much, but we need to complete the job. ”
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Alabama Governor Kay Ivey showed support for the relocation of Tuscaloosa in a statement released Monday morning.
“They have made difficult decisions, and I appreciate Mayor Walt Maddox and the leadership of the University of Alabama for tackling a serious issue as quickly as possible,” Ivey said. “If we do not act faster, it will let the potential for a situation get out of hand, which would require even tougher, longer-lasting decisions to be implemented.”
Alabama SGA President Demarcus Joiner on Monday announced the announcement of increased regulations. He hopes this can make a dent in the figures.
“I think it’s going to hit her hard, but hopefully students understand that this is about more than her,” Joiner said. “This is for the community to ensure that the community is safe. I also hope students take this opportunity to focus on academics over these first two weeks of class. And if those limitations are once less, they may have a chance to be more social. ”
** This post was updated at 02:34 to include more about Maddox’s student tests and comments.
Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande as to Facebook.
