Birmingham leaders say Alabama's not ready to open yet Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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AMERICAN CITIZENS. BEFORE STATE LEADERS MAKE A DECISION ABOUT ESING RESTRICTIONS, THE BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL AND FAITH LEADERS WANT TO HAVE MORE TESTING SITES UP AND RUNNING. BRENDA DOUGLAS IS LIVE AND THERE IS ALSO A DEMAND FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO RELEASE ZIP CODES OF THOSE INFECTED. BREA: THAT’S RIGHT, SHERI. THE CITY SAYS THAT DATA IS CRUCIAL IN GETTING FEDERAL FUNDING TO FIGHT COVID-19 IN SOME OF OUR CITY’S HARDEST HIT AREAS. 99 NEIGHBORHOODS ARE IN BIRMINGHAM. CITY LEADERS AND PASTORS SAY TESTING SITES NEED TO BE IN ALL OF THEM. >> WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO EXPAND TESTING SITES AND THE TESTS IN ORDER FOR US TO REALLY OPEN UP THE ECONOMY, NOT ONLY WITHIN THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, BUT ACROSS THE STATE OF ALABAMA. BREA: ALABAMA’S STAY AT HOME ORDER IS EXPECTED TO LIFT ON APRIL 30, BUT PASTOR HAROLD BASS ARGUES IT’S POSSIBLY TOO SOON. >> WE THINK MORE OF A LIFE THAN WE DO OF A DOLLAR. WE BELIEVE, PRAISE GOD, THAT IF WE OPEN UP AND DON’T DO THE NECESSARY THINGS THAT SHOULD BE DONE THAT THIS COULD BE CONSIDERED AS ATTEMPTED MURDER. BREA: BASS AND PARKER URGE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO RELEASE ZIP CODES OF THOSE INFECTED WITH COVID-19. BY DOING SO, PASTOR BASS SAYS FEDERAL DOLLARS CAN BE APPLIED TO HELP PEOPLE MOST IMPACTED BY THE VIRUS, LIKE THE BLACK POPULATION. >> STATISTICS SHOW THAT THE PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE DYING AND THEY ARE DYING AT THE MOST RAPID RATE THAN IN ANY OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD. BREA: I REACHED OUT TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO FIND OUT WHEN THEY’LL RELEASE THE ZIP CODES OF THOSE INFECTED WITH COVID-19, BUT DID NOT HEAR BACK. AS FOR AN IDEAL TESTING SITE LOCATION, COUNCILMAN PARKER CONTINUES TO PUSH FOR ONE AT LEGION FIELD, BUT NO WORD YET ON IF THAT WILL HAPPEN. LI

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