Alabamians should put their personal safety from Sunday’s threats of dangerous tornadoes above the threat from the novel coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Kay Ivey said Saturday.

The governor released a statement in an effort to help clear what might seem like conflicting direction: Protect yourself from the tornadoes in what possibly may be a crowded community shelter at a time when she has ordered the state to stay home to avoid other people in a fight against spreading COVID-19.

The Alabama Department of Public Health on Saturday echoed the governor's sentiments: The threat of tornadoes supersedes the threat of the coronavirus.

Related: Severe weather outbreak likely on Sunday in Alabama, National Weather Service says

“Unfortunately, Alabama is far too familiar with the unpredictability of severe weather," Ivey said in the statement. "Our state stands prepared and ready to face whatever Mother Nature brings, even amidst a health pandemic. Both the National Weather Service and the State Public Health Department remind Alabamians that the use of shelters and other resources take precedent, should the need arise. The safety and protection of Alabama lives is paramount. Be sure to tune in to your trusted weather source, and stay weather aware throughout this holiday weekend.”

Ivey and the ADPH took a similar stance last month when a lesser threat of tornadoes was forecasted for parts of Alabama. But those stances preceded the stay-at-home order from Ivey and Alabama State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris that went into effect last week.

Related: Tornado season during COVID-19 pandemic may bring difficult decisions

"ADPH recommends that citizens' first priority should be to protect themselves from a potential tornado," ADPH said in a message posted on social media Saturday morning. "If a warning is issued in your area, you are more likely to be affected by the tornado than the virus. Thus, people should heed warnings and take shelter."

Significant and widespread severe weather is forecasted for our area starting Sunday into early Monday. Making a plan... Posted by Alabama Public Health on Saturday, April 11, 2020

Jeff Birdwell, director of Madison County EMA, said that the best option is to find an alternate safe place to community storm shelters. But he repeated what other officials said in that if there is a tornado threat in your area, it should be prioritized over concerns for contracting the coronavirus.

Community storm shelters are usually operated by individual agencies and Birdwell urged contacting the agency operating your local storm shelter immediately to see if it will be open on Sunday.

In Alexander City, police posted a Facebook message saying that the city would not have a shelter open on Sunday but that all rural FEMA community shelters would be open. The shelters in Alexander City, police said, are typically for people with extended power outages and is not designed as a tornado safe place.