Birmingham Passes Mandatory ‘Shelter in Place Order.’ Here’s Why.

By Barnett Wright
The Birmingham Times

The Birmingham City Council voted Tuesday to require a shelter-in-place order until midnight April 3 during the COVID-19 public health emergency. The order is effective as of Tuesday, March 24.

The nine-member council voted unanimously in a near-empty chamber on the third floor of City Hall where the councilors sat separated because of social distancing mandates required by the Jefferson County Department of Health (JCDH).

“We are under a state of emergency and this is a health crisis,” said Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin. “We have to do everything necessary to prevent community spread. Eleven days ago, we used the words ‘recommend’ in daily briefings and in communication to the public, and we now need to pivot from recommend to enforcement if the ultimate goal is to save lives.”

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