Gov. Kay Ivey amends ‘Safer at Home’ order to allow for more reopenings

On Friday, May 8, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey amended her “Safer at Home” order to allow for more business reopening’s and the loosening of other restrictions beginning May 11.

Ivey said that while the state continues to reopen businesses, Alabamians must continue to adhere to social distancing guidelines.

“Let me be crystal clear, the threat of this disease continues to be active and it is deadly,” she emphasized. “During the last couple of months we have lost friends and family members to this awful virus and more than 369 of our fellow Alabamians have died from this virus.”

Ivey said, though, that the economic casualties have also harmed the state to a large extent and focus must be placed on economic recovery as well as health safety.

“In February one of our top concerns was that we had more jobs than people to fill them,” Ivey said. “Now, we have more than 400,000 people that have filed for unemployment. More people have filed for unemployment in the past six weeks than did in the last two years combined. This is truly heartbreaking. While remaining focused on our physical health, we must acknowledge that we have to focus on our economic health, as well.”

This new order removes the 10-person limit on non-work gatherings as long as those in attendance – not from the same household – can maintain a six-foot distance between each other.

Restaurants, bars and breweries will now be allowed to offer in-restaurant dining once again with a 50 percent occupancy rate and as long as a six-foot distance is kept between tables and booths.

Athletic facilities – such as fitness centers and commercial gyms – are also able to reopen but are subject to social-distancing and sanitation rules and guidelines.

Close-contact service providers like barber shops, nail salons, hair salons and tattoo parlors are now allowed to reopen but must follow social-distancing and sanitation rules and guidelines.

Beaches are now open with no limit on gatherings as long as a six-foot distance is kept between people.

Entertainment venues – such as night clubs, theaters and bowling alleys – will remain closed along with educational institutions and sporting events.

The amended order will expire on May 22 but Ivey said that her office plans to continue reopenings next week, as well.

“We are still actively working with associations and boards for those businesses and activities that are not included in this (amended) order,” Ivey said. “We want to be able to hopefully announce the next phase of this in the middle of next week. That is all contingent on what happens with the disease and how we continue to respond to that.”

To read the full amended “Safer at Home” order, visit https://governor.alabama.gov/assets/2020/05/Safer-at-Home-Order-FINAL-5.8.2020.pdf.