UPDATED: COVID-19 Resources in North Alabama
The last year has been a tough one for a lot of Alabamians. The COVID-19 pandemic is still raging, but now there is hope on the horizon: Moderna and Pfizer have released their vaccines, and Johnson & Johnson hopes to have theirs out by February or March.
At this time, Alabama is in Phase 1b of its vaccine rollout. If you are a healthcare worker, a first responder, or over the age of 75, you can schedule your COVID-19 vaccine by calling 1-855-566-5333.
Vaccines aren’t the only good news, either. The Synergy Wellness Clinic in Huntsville has been “certified to administer bamlanivimab (BAM), the monoclonal antibody infusion drug emergency-approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat some victims of coronavirus,” WHNT reports. The drug is designed to treat mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19. Note that this is not an FDA-approved drug, but it has been .
Bamlanivimab (BAM) treatments should be covered by most insurance plans, and the infusion takes about an hour.
Additional resources for North Alabama
We at Martin & Helms want our clients and everyone in our community to be safe and healthy during these difficult times. The available services and laws are changing as everyone and every company seeks to find ways to address their personal, financial, health, and safety concerns.
We think the following resources may be helpful to people throughout Alabama. Residents should understand that there are state guidelines and protocols for many businesses, people, and issues. There are also guidelines depending on which county you live in. Individual entities/organizations also have their own rules and safeguards. For examples, students at Alabama A&M University can obtain information from the University student link.
- Alabama Department of Health websites
- “Safer at Home” orders. The latest order was issued on January 21, 2021 and will be in effect until March 5, 2021. You can read the latest order here.
- Food banks and pantries. Martin & Helms has been donating resources to food pantries throughout the area, and we hope that those of you who can donate, will choose to do so. Foodbanks such as the Foodbank of North Alabama are still open, as is the Downtown Rescue Mission. You can also check with org for additional locations that may be in operation.
- Courts. Local court information varies from county to county. The Alabama Judicial System has its own link as does the Alabama Administrative Office of Courts.
- Unemployment compensation. This link answers many employee questions such as – Can employees qualify for unemployment compensation if their employer shuts down operations due to the COVID-19 health emergency and How long will the benefits last?
- Small business loans. Small businesses affected by COVID-19, according to Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, are eligible for small business loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.
Many museums and arts organizations are working to create online environments so that kids and parents can enjoy the arts from home. Other organizations are creating virtual tours of our natural resources. A few of these online virtual field trips include:
Together, we will get through this.
Attorney Tara Helms has represented injured individuals and their families in a wide range of personal injury and wrongful death claims, including car accidents and truck accidents, workplace accidents, and more. Contact Martin & Helms now.