HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Some of you may have gotten into the spirit for Cinco de Mayo. Madison County officials say the actions of a few, could cost us all in the fight against COVID-19.
Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle says, “Yesterday...I would classify it as taking two steps forward, three steps back."
Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle says some locals got carried away with celebrations and may have made costly mistakes. He adds, “Some people took it very seriously and had Cinco de Mayo parties. We’ve got the pictures of it, we’ve got complaints in the mayor’s office.”
Officials got reports of some restaurants allowing customers to eat and drink inside, a direct violation of our current social distancing orders. Mayor Battle says there will be consequences. He says, “You cannot eat on premises, you cannot serve on premises. We will send out community resource officers down with the backing of our legal department to have a conversation with the owners of those establishments.”
Mayor Battle reminds us that this fight is far from over as Alabama cases rise. He tells reporters, “We’ve had a 1,500 case increase in the past week.”
Health officials say it’s just not possible to test all employees before returning to work as the economy reopens. David Spillers, CEO of Huntsville Hospital, says, “We are nowhere near ready to give everyone who wants a test a test. And certainly, they’re not free of charge.”
Spillers adds, even if everyone could be tested, people, after testing negative, would have to be monitored continuously. Spillers says, “Getting a test today only means you’re not positive today. It doesn’t mean you’re not positive come Friday.”
Spillers is calling for a reexamination of the statistics in our county and updated numbers that don’t include the number of people who’ve recovered from COVID-19. He says this will give a more accurate look at the spread.
Next week, Governor Ivey is expected to announce the next phase in the reopening process. Mayor Battle says, “Phase two will probably be opening the retail with personal contact and the restaurants.”
Until then, county officials are encouraging locals to take the “Face Cover Challenge" and post photos using the hashtag #ShowYourCoverHsv to hold neighbors responsible for social distancing practices.
You can find tips on how to make your own face covering or mask here.
Mayor Battle says, “We’ve got to continue our vigilance that we’re doing today.”