Governor Kay Ivey issued a statement Sunday in which she clarified the plans of the federal government potentially housing Americans infected with the coronavirus at a FEMA facility in Anniston.

Ivey assured the citizens of Alabama that the FEMA facility in Anniston is “only being considered as a ‘back-up’ plan,” in case the federal departments handling the victims run out of alternative locations.

She said that “no decision had been made to send anyone to Anniston.”

She clarified that media reports on Saturday stemmed from “a press release from HHS [that] was inadvertently, and perhaps prematurely, sent.”

The HHS is an abbreviation for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Governor Ivey added that she has worked with Senator Shelby in the last few days, and as a result, officials from HHS will be coming to Alabama so they can “provide further clarity to this situation.”

U.S. Representative Mike Rogers (R-Saks) represents Anniston. In a statement on Saturday night he came out forcefully against the idea of any coronavirus victims being brought to Alabama

Rogers was under the impression from the HHS press release that the shipping of Coronavirus victims to Anniston was imminent.

Rogers said in part, “I will continue to work with President Trump and HHS to find the best facilities that meet the needs for those Americans that have been exposed to this dangerous virus.  The CDP is not that place.”

The CDP is shorthand for the Center for Domestic Preparedness, which is the facility in Anniston where the coronavirus victims could potentially be housed.

Ivey stated she shares “grave concerns about why the site in Anniston was chosen and how, logistically, this would play out in the event this back-up site were to be eventually activated.”

However, in contrast to Rogers, Ivey did not rule out the possibility of accommodating victims potentially coming to Alabama. She made multiple references to “gathering facts” and “increasing clarity” with respect to what housing the evacuees would mean for Alabama.

She advised, “First and foremost, my priority is to protect the people of Alabama. While locating these folks in Alabama is currently a backup plan, this is a serious issue and we need to be fully aware of the facts regarding the potential of housing them in Anniston.”

Ivey’s full statement as follows:

Late Friday night, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) informed me about their proposal to transport Americans who have tested positive with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) from the Diamond Princess cruise ship to a FEMA Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) in Anniston. Sensing the urgency, I quickly informed the offices of Senators Richard Shelby and Doug Jones and Congressman Mike Rogers, as well as Dr. Scott Harris with the Alabama Department of Public Health.

On Saturday, it appears that a press release from HHS was inadvertently, and perhaps prematurely, sent notifying the State of Alabama that these individuals were scheduled to begin transporting to Alabama as early as Wednesday.

Obviously concerned, there were a number of conversations between HHS, the White House, my staff and me, as well as two rounds of conference calls including the senior staff of the Congressional Delegation to try to clarify HHS’ intent and reasoning for selecting Alabama. On one of the calls, they informed us that the CDP in Anniston is only being considered as a “back-up” plan, in case they run out of alternative locations. They assured us on both calls that no decision had been made to send anyone to Anniston.

I made it abundantly clear that while the State of Alabama wants to work closely with the Trump Administration to assist fellow Americans who may have tested positive for the Coronavirus, there were some grave concerns about why the site in Anniston was chosen and how, logistically, this would play out in the event this back-up site were to be eventually activated.

First and foremost, my priority is to protect the people of Alabama. While locating these folks in Alabama is currently a backup plan, this is a serious issue and we need to be fully aware of the facts regarding the potential of housing them in Anniston.

I am grateful to Senator Shelby and his team for coordinating today’s effort to send officials from HHS to Alabama to provide further clarity to this situation. I also appreciate Congressman Rogers for speaking with the President and informing him of the concern of the people of Alabama. Through these coordinated efforts, we will begin a process that will be transparent, and hopefully find a solution of which we are united and comfortable with.

Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: [email protected] or on Twitter @HenryThornton95.