Governor Kay Ivey (R-AL) is touting to the world that Alabama is indeed open for business.
Fox News on Wednesday published an article featuring Ivey and Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX) as examples of Republican-led states that have “no mask mandates and low coronavirus case counts.”
“Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey told Fox News that their emphasis on getting citizens vaccinated and a better understanding of the science of the virus has helped keep cases down as their states are among the most open in the country,” the outlet reported. “Meanwhile, states like Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York have some of the highest coronavirus positivity rates despite stricter limits on where people can go and what they can do.”
As shown in BamaTracker’s comprehensive database, Alabama’s COVID-19 numbers are among the lowest in the country, even after Ivey declined to extend the statewide mask order past April 9.
Now, Ivey is doubling down on moving forward and not returning to one-size-fits-all governmental mandates being the answer to the pandemic.
“One of the frustrations of the American people over this past year has been the constantly changing goal post. Certainly, this is a novel virus and guidance has evolved as we have learned more, but that is just it: we have learned more,” Ivey reportedly told Fox News. “We have been at this for more than a year now, and we have simply got to move forward. Endless government mandates are not the answer.”
Alabama’s governor also criticized other states and the federal government leaving in place strict guidelines — including mandatory masking — regarding indoor and outdoor gatherings. She spoke to the importance of getting vaccinated.
“Ivey said leaving these kinds of guidelines in place does more harm than good when the next big challenge in the pandemic is getting people who are reluctant to get a vaccine to do so,” Fox News wrote.
UAB experts this week also urged more Alabamians to get vaccinated so that the state can reach herd immunity and everyone can truly get back to pre-pandemic life.
“When we hear from Democrat-led states that vaccinated people have literally no advantage to being vaccinated, that is, to put it simply, against the science and definitely not incentivizing for individuals to get their shots,” Ivey added.
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
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