Reopen Alabama Responsibly: Read the plan to recharge the economy Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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REPRESENTATIVE GARRETT, FOR YOUR REPORT. LET’S TALK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AT NOW. OUR HOUSE IN ALABAMA WAS ON FIRE. YOU SEE THE 20% GROWTH MODEL. WE HAD MANY CONSECUTIVE DAYS WERE RE-WERE 20%, 30%. IF YOU LOOK AT THAT AND YOU HAVE 20% GROWTH FOR 32 DAYS, THAT IS 30% CASES. 10% GROWTH IS 19,000. 5% GROWTH IS 4600. THAT’S THE DIFFERENCE IN EXPONENTIAL GROWTH VERSUS LINEAR GROWTH. THESE ARE CURRENT CASES. IF YOU LOOK BACK IN MARCH, PERCENTAGE OF GROWTH, WE WERE IN 30% GROWTH. THE ENCOURAGING NEWS IS THIS. THE LAST DAY OF 21% GROWTH WAS APRIL 3. AND SINCE THEN, WE HAVE BEEN IN SINGLE DIGITS. THIS IS LINEAR GROWTH THAT IS NOT EXPONENTIAL. EXPONENTIAL GROWTH IS WHAT WE SAW EARLY ON. I WANT TO THANK GOVERNOR IVEY FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND WHAT SHE DID TO STOP EXPONENTIAL GROWTH IN ALABAMA. I WANT TO THANK DR. HARRIS. WE ARE FORTUNATE. WE ARE IN A SPOT NOW, IN MY OPINION, WHERE WE CAN REOPEN AND GET OUR ECONOMY GOING AGAIN. WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE HIM. I WANT TO SAY THIS. WE ARE GOING TO NEED DR. HARRIS’S HELP. WE ARE GOING TO MEET GOVERNOR IVY’S DESK GOVERNOR -- GOVERNOR IVEY’S HELP. THE PPP IS OUT OF MONEY. THERE ARE LITERALLY PEOPLE SENDING US MESSAGES BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT GET MONEY AND IT RAN OUT. THE NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS IN THE STATE IS STAGGERING. MORE THAN 130 CLAIMS WERE FILED IN 2013. OBVIOUSLY THIS VIRUS IS DEADLY. IT’S DANGEROUS. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A RECOMMENDATIONS. THEY RECHARGE T ECONOMY. SMALL BUSINESSES, THEIR OWNERS, THEIR EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN HIT ESPECIALLY HARD IT IS PANDEMIC. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS REALLY QUICK. IT’S CURRENTLY CONSIDERED SAFE TO GO TO A BOX STORE AND BUY FURNITURE. IT’S CURRENTLY CONSIDERED SAFE TO GO TO A BOX STORE AND BUY CLOTHING. IT’S CURRENTLY CONSIDERED SAFE TO GO TO A BOX STORE AND EVEN BUY JEWELRY. OUR MESSAGE IS SIMPLE. THE MESSAGE ABOUT SOCIAL DISTANCING IS SPREADING PEOPLE OUT AND THE COMMITTEE SAYS IT’S NOT FAIR FOR SMALL BUSINESSES TO BE OPEN AND PENALIZED AND WE BELIEVE SMALLER STORES MEANS SMALLER RISK. WHY DO WE SAY THAT? WE BELIEVE YOU ARE SPREADING PEOPLE OUT. INSMED A LOT OF PEOPLE GOING TO ONE STORE, NOW YOU POTENTIALLY HAVE FIVE PEOPLE GOING INTO A STORE TO BUY CLOTHING. IF YOU LOOK AT THAT FROM A SOCIAL DISTANCING STANDPOINT, WE BELIEVE ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE ARE WANT TO MAKE IS RETAIL, BUT WE BELIEVE SMALLER STORES EQUAL SMALLER RISK. WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE RESTAURANTS IN A MINUTE. WE BELIEVE EVERY BUSINESS IS AN ESSENTIAL BUSINESS. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS SENT TO THE GOVERNOR. THE FIRST RECOMMENDATION, THAT THESE BUSINESSES CAN SAFELY REOPEN IMMEDIATELY, WHICH IS WE BELIEVE THESE BUSINESSES CAN OPERATE NOW SAFELY. FIRST IS RETAIL. SMALLER STORES, SMALLER RISK. I’M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE REPORT. IT’S 155-PLUS PAGES. IT’S ON THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR SITE. IT’S ALSO ON ATLAS ALABAMA. RETAIL STORES -- A RECOGNITION THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO OPERATE AT THE SAME CAPACITY AS THE BIG BOX STORES. CHECK LINES NEED TO BE CLEARLY MARKED. WE BELIEVE WE CAN OPEN THESE STORES SAFELY. THERE’S A LOT MORE. THAT’S JUST A HIGHLIGHT. RESTAURANTS -- WE BELIEVE SMALLER GROUPS -- AGAIN, SMALLER RISK. AND WE BELIEVE THERE IS A WAY TO SAFELY OPEN RESTAURANTS WITH LIMITED CAPACITY AND SPACING IN ALABAMA. OUR RECOMMENDATION IS CUSTOMERS WILL HAVE TO BE SEATED SIX FEET APART. THE GROUPS WILL HAVE TO BE LIMITED TO SIX GUESTS PER TABLE. THIRD RECOMMENDATION, AND AGAIN, THERE’S MULTIPLE RECOMMENDATIONS. I’M JUST HIGHLIGHTING A FEW. MAKE SURE ALL SURFACES ARE SANITIZED REGULARLY. WE BELIEVE THAT IN RESTAURANTS THAT IS IMPORTANT. AS A HUSBAND. I HAVE A GREAT WIFE, KENDALL, THREE KIDS. I FEEL PERFECTLY SAFE GOING INTO A RESTAURAN AND EATING. BUT I WANT THE PUBLIC OF ALABAMA TO KNOW, THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WE ARE MAKING, I THINK THESE ARE SAFE. NEXT THING WE RECOMMEND, WE THINK ARE SAFE TO OPEN IMMEDIATELY ARE CLOSE CONTACT SERVICES. AS YOU CAN PROBABLY TELL -- MAYBE YOU CAN’T -- MY HAIR WAS A LITTLE BIT LONG. I NEED A HAIRCUT. " AT DEALS WITH BARBERSHOPS, HERE’S THE LENS, NAIL SALONS, TATTOOS SALO -- TATTOO SALONS, WAXING SALONS. THESE SERVICES, I THINK, CAN BE DONE IF THE GOVERNOR AND DR. HARRIS DECIDED IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THEY WOULD REOPEN THIS AFTERNOON OR TOMORROW I WOULD GO TOMORROW AND GET A HAIRCUT HERE IT WOULD PROBABLY WEAR A MASK. WE HAVE A LOT STRICTER REQUIREMENTS FROM OUR COMMITTEE ON THIS THE FIRST, ALL EMPLOYEES WILL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK. NO CUSTOMERS WILL BE ALLOWED IN THE WAITING AREAS. AND CUSTOMERS WILL BE SERVED BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. THESE ARE NOT THE ONLY RECOMMENDATION. CERTAINLY THESE CAN BE OPEN AND AWAY WHERE WE MAKE SURE DISEASE TRANSMISSION IS MINIMAL AND HOPEFULLY NOT AT ALL. OUR FINAL RECOMMENDATION, AND I THINK THIS DIRECTLY TIES IN WITH UNEMPLOYMENT, WITH PEOPLE ALREADY WORKING IN ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES AS WELL AS BUSINESSES THAT WILL BE OPEN AS CHILDCARE FACILITIES AND WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO FOLLOW THE CDC GUIDELINES. WE THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT. THE NEXT RECOMMENDATIO, THE FIRST, MEDICAL HELP SERVICES. -- HEALTH SERVICES. PHYSICAL THERAPY CLINICS AND ONE WE ACCIDENTALLY OMITTED, OPTOMETRY. REQUIREMENTS ON THEM -- WE WORKED WITH THESE ASSOCIATIONS, WE WORKED WITH THESE DOCTORS. WITHOUT FRIENDS. WE GOT A FRIEND WHO IS A DOCTOR WHO IS USED TO SING A LOT OF PATIENCE, NOW THE PATIENTS ARE AFRAID COME IN. I HAVE A FRIEND WHO IS A DENTIST , WHO HAD A THRIVING PRACTICE RIGHT DOWN IN GUNTERSVILLE. I TALKED TO THEM. I TALKED TO EVERYONE, TALKING TO THEIR DENTIST, TALKING WITH THE ASSOCIATIONS TO FIND OUT, DO YOU THINK IT’S POSSIBLE TO SAFELY REOPEN? THESE PEOPLE SAID, YES. WHAT WOULD IT REQUIRE? SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE IN 95 MASKS -- N95 MASKS. GLOVES. THESE ARE DENTAL REGULATIONS. I AM NOT GOING TO GO EVERY -- OVER EVERY SINGLE THING. NO PATIENTS WILL BE ALLOWED IN THE WAITING ROOM. YOU WILL PULL UP AND WAIT IN YOUR CAR UNTIL IT’S TIME TO GO INTO YOUR CHAIR AND THEY WILL NOTIFY YOU TO COME AND THEN. WE THINK IN WORKING WITH THESE INDUSTRIES, THESE PROVIDERS KNOW WHAT IS BEST. NEXT, ENTERTAINMENT VENUES, RACETRACKS, CASINOS, BINGO HALLS, PLANETARIUMS. FIRST, IT WOULD DEAL WITH A 35% CAPACITY ISSUE ON SOME OF THESE. TAKING TEMPERATURES OF EMPLOYEES BEFORE ALLOWING THEM IN THE FACILITY. ANOTHER MAY 1 RECOMMENDATION. IT HAS TO BE EVEN MORE THOROUGH NOW. THEY LIMIT THE INTERACTION BETWEEN EMPLOYEES AND G GYM MEMBERS. NEXT ISSUE IS THE BEACHES. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE HEARD ABOUT THAT. OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TWOFOLD. WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE LEADERS IN THE COUNTY. WE WORKED WITH SENATOR CHRIS ELLIOTT ON GETTING THESE MEASURES IN PLACE. LET SAY THIS. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT AND I THINK THERE IS A WAY TO SAFELY DO THIS. MAY 1, THE BEACHES WILL BE OPEN TO RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS WALKING, RUNNING, FISHING. THIS IS A MODEL THEY USE IN HAWAII THAT SEEMS TO BE WORKING WELL. THEY ARE STILL PRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING. WE THINK THAT THAT CAN BE DONE IN A SAFE MANNER. MAY 15, LOOK AT THE POSTER THERE. IT’S GOING TO EXPAND -- SOME OF MY FAMILY WENT TO THE BEACH. TO ACTUALLY BE IN THE CHAIR, TO HAVE A TENT, BUT ONLY WITH OUR GROUP. ONLY THE PEOPLE YOU ARE STAYING WITH, OR IF YOU ARE A RESIDENT, THE IDEA IS, YOU WOULD BE ON THE BEACH WITH YOUR GROUP YOU ARE STAYING WITH AND IF I AM WITH MY FAMILY, MY KIDS, WHETHER I AM IN GUNTERSVILLE, PRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING OR AT THE BEACH PRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING, WE STILL HAVE TO STAY 60 AWAY FROM ANY OTHER GROUPS OR PEOPLE. THAT WOULD GO INTO EFFECT MAY 10. WE WORKED WITH THE MAYOR AND THE SHARE OF, AND THERE’S A PLAN IN PLACE TO HAVE CONTROLS SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU SEE AT SPRING BREAK. THE PEOPLE OF ALABAMA, FOR THE MOST PART, ARE GOING TO FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES AND DO WHAT WE ASK. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A PATROL THEIR. -- A PATROL THERE. SPORTS, DIFFERENT THINGS, THERE IS ONE RECOMMENDATION WE HAD DEALING WITH YOUTH BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL. THIS IS A LEADER RECOMMENDATION, MAKE -- LATER RECOMMENDATION, MAY 11. THERE ARE SOME WHO THOUGHT THEY MIGHT COULD DO IT EARLIER. THERE’S A LOT OF STRINGENT REQUIREMENTS. SOME OF THE THINGS -- NO PUBLIC CONCESSIONS STANDS -- ALL OF THE FANS WILL HAVE TO PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS. BUT I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR KIDS AND GIVING THEM HOPE AND OUR NATIONAL PASTIME THIS SUMMER, IT USED THAT BASEBALL IS SOMETHING THAT COULD GIVE US HOPE AND OTHER SPORTS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE DONE SAFELY. BASEBALL BEING OUTSIDE, WE THINK THERE IS A WAY TO SAFELY DO THAT. THERE’S A LOT OF NATIONAL, AS WELL AS STATE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE GOOD PLANS. WE SUBMITTED THAT. WE ALSO HAD INDUSTRIES IN OUR REPORT THAT RECOMMENDED BEST PRACTICES. THEY ARE ALREADY OPEN. WE SUBMITTED THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL. PHARMACY, THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY. YOU TALK ABOUT PPE. THAT’S A BIG ISSUE. I GOT TO TOUR OF PLANT IN COLEMAN. THEY’RE LOOKING AT PRODUCING MEDICAL GRADE FACE MASKS RIGHT HERE IN ALABAMA. THEY CAN BASICALLY PRODUCE 300 TO 400 MILLION. IF YOU LOOK AT PPE, ONE OF THE THINGS THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN WORKING ON, DOING A GREAT JOB WITH SECRETARY KANDEL, GETTING MANUFACTURERS IN ALABAMA TO REDUCE -- PRODUCE PPE. WE ARE GOING

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