Coronavirus Resources and Response in Perry County, Alabama: April 16

Posted onAuthorSusan Jones

As of 8:00 pm on Thursday, April 16, there are 7 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Perry County.  Chilton County now has 37 confirmed cases. ADPH reports that Bibb and Marengo each have 24 confirmed cases. Hale and Greene Counties now have 22, and there are currently 40 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Wilcox County.

Please help do your part to limit the spread of the coronavirus by following social distancing guidelines when you must leave your home, remembering to wash your hands regularly, and wearing a mask in public whenever possible. If you are feeling ill, if you have a fever or other COVID-19 symptoms, or if you have come into close contact with someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus, please self-isolate and call your healthcare provider for advice about your best course of action.

State Orders and Local Ordinances

Governor Ivey and Dr. Scott Harris, Alabama’s State Health Officer, have issued orders for Alabamians who are not accessing or providing essential services to stay at home until April 30 to help slow or prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The Perry County Commission has issued a curfew that runs from 10:00 pm to 5:00; this curfew is in place in the cities of Marion and Uniontown, as well as in rural areas in Perry County.

Testing Locations and Times

The Alabama Department of Public Health continues its weekly free drive-up testing in Perry County. On Thursday, April 23, testing will be available at the Perry County Health Department in Marion. On the following Thursday, April 30, testing will be available at the Perry County Health Department satellite site in Uniontown. Testing will take place from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon each day. An appointment is required and must be scheduled by a medial professional. To qualify for free testing through ADPH, you must be experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and fall into one of the following categories:

  • Be immunocompromised or have an underlying health condition, such as diabetes, hypertension or other cardiovascular disease, or respiratory problems like asthma, emphysema, or COPD.
  • Be 65 or older.
  • Be a healthcare worker.
  • Have moderate to severe or worsening symptoms.

Cahaba Medical is offering drive-up testing on Saturday, April 18 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm in the Uniontown Dollar General parking lot. Individuals must pre-register online (click here to be redirected) to receive a designated appointment time. To be tested at the Cahaba Medical drive-up site, you must fall into one of the following three categories:

  • Be experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath.
  • Be required to be tested by your employer in order to return to work or to keep working.
  • Have had significant exposure to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Testing is also being offered on an ongoing basis at the following locations. Please contact the testing center for information about availability, times, cost, and criteria, as these may vary from location to location.

  • Marion Clinic (334-683-9085)
  • Cahaba Medical, Marion (334-247-1006)
  • Cahaba Medical, Centreville (205-926-2992)
  • Main Street Family Care, Selma (334-526-3240)
  • Hale County Hospital, Greensboro (334-624-3024)
  • Whitfield Regional Hospital, Demopolis (334-289-4000)

Fabric Face Masks

Sowing Seeds of Hope has been given a limited number of fabric face masks for distribution to residents of Perry County who have underlying health conditions. This includes a small number of children’s masks for local kids who are immunocompromised or have asthma. If you would like to request a mask for yourself or your child, please call 334-683-4666 or email susan@ssohope.org. If you are able to make fabric face masks to be distributed in our area, please contact us.

If you are the owner or manager of an essential business in Perry County and would like to request fabric masks for your employees, please contact us to be added to our waiting list. We will fill these requests as we are able.

We appreciate the donations of finished masks from the Anne Kirtley Chapter of the Judson College Alumnae Association and the West Alabama Mask Makers Group, as well as the donation of materials to make additional masks from the Mann Center for Ethics and Leadership at Samford University. We would also like to thank the Marion-West Perry Arts and Crafts Group for agreeing to help assemble masks from donated materials.

Ribbons of Hope

On April 7, Governor Kay Ivey announced her Ribbons of Hope campaign, encouraging Alabamians to tie ribbons on their doors, around a tree in their front yards, or on their mailboxes. Ivey believes that these ribbons will be a tangible reminder for our communities that the crisis will soon be over. Participation in the campaign is also meant to honor healthcare workers, first responders, and others who are leading the fight against COVID-19. A limited number of ribbons have been donated by the Mann Center for Ethics and Leadership at Samford University. If you would like to request a ribbon, please call Sowing Seeds of Hope at 334-683-4666.