HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — It's close to one year later, and more than 10,000 people have died from COVID-19 in Alabama according to the Alabama Department of Public Health's dashboard.
Alabama is getting close to half a million people who were infected by the virus. However, a former state health officer and President of the Alabama Hospital Association, Dr. Don Williamson, credits advanced technology to develop the vaccine even with those startling numbers.
"That's the dark-side. I mean the other side is probably one of the miracles of modern medicine and that is the vaccine development," says Williamson.
Williamson says the shortest amount of time he's seen a vaccine developed took five years.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a plethora of information on how to protect yourself and other from the coronavirus.
The virus can easily spread from person to person, so the CDC recommends you stay at least 6-feet apart from people not in your household. The virus is spread through respiratory droplets that are produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, breaths or talks, according to the CDC. Because of this, the CDC recommends you wear a cloth facemask when around others and in public.
Additionally, the CDC recommends that you frequently wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Symptoms to look out for include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, a sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting and diarrhea, according to the CDC.
Click here to find more COVID-19 information from the CDC.
If you suspect you have the coronavirus, you should seek out testing and self-quarantine.
Click here to find more COVID-19 information from the Alabama Department of Public Health.
For the most up-to-date COVID vaccine information, check out this WZDX story: Alabama COVID vaccine updates