MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama Department of Public Health has included a new color-coded alert page to its COVID-19 information dashboard showing how rates are changing by county.
The new dashboard was designed to make information about COVID-19 more accessible and understandable to the public.
While county-level data has been available on the ADPH website, officials hope the new color-coded alert page will make it easier for Alabama residents to interpret, correlate and compare their county to other counties around the state.
Counties will be assigned a color designation, based on whether the number of new cases in the county is going up or down.
The ADPH is using the three-day average number of new cases per day, to determine each county’s status.
The ADPH will assess the counties as follows:
- If the number of cases is staying the same or is increasing, the category will be Very High Risk (Red) category.
- If a county has decreasing case counts for 1 to 6 days, they will begin in the High Risk (orange) category.
- If a county is in a downward trajectory of 7-13 days, they will begin in the Moderate (yellow) category.
- If a county is in a downward trajectory of 14 or more days, they will begin in the Low Risk (green) category.
The department also released a set of guidelines for counties in each category, that are recommended but not required.
Red = Very High Risk
- Wear face coverings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
- Even when visiting family or friends, wear face coverings when within 6 feet of people outside your household.
- Avoid all unnecessary travel. If you must travel, avoid crowded areas if possible.
- Telework if possible. If not, maintain a 6-foot distance from others and wear face coverings at work.
- Takeout, pickup or delivery from restaurants is strongly encouraged rather than dining in.
- Avoid groups of more than 20 people.
- Avoid unnecessary visits to hospitals, nursing homes or other residential care facilities.
- Worship online or keep 6-foot distances between people of different households.
- Children with COVID-19 should stay home or be sent home for school or child care if showing symptoms. Limit public interaction between children and do not allow children on public playgrounds.
Orange = High Risk
- Continue social distancing at work, work from home when possible, and wear face coverings at work when social distancing is impossible.
- Limit out-of-state travel.
- Takeout, pickup or delivery from restaurants is encouraged rather than dining in.
- Maintain social distancing during outdoor recreation.
- Hold online workshop services if possible. When meeting in person, keep 6-foot distances between people of different households, consider holding more services for lower attendance, and more spacing between people at each service.
- Keep children away from in-person playdates or similar activities outside of the school setting if avoidable and do not allow children on public playgrounds.
Yellow = Moderate Risk
- Avoid groups of more than 50 people.
- Keep 6-foot distances from people outside your household in theaters and other entertainment venues.
- Check for fever, coughing or other symptoms of COVID-19 before team games or practices.
- Hold online worship services if possible. When meeting in person, keep 6-foot distances between people of different households; consider holding more services for lower attendance, and more spacing between people.
- Children should keep a 6-foot distance from others outside their household, those with symptoms of COVID-19 should stay home from school or child care, limit interaction between children at playgrounds and other public places.
Green = Low Risk
- Continue social distancing at work and wear face coverings at work when social distancing is impossible.
- Large gatherings and venues are allowed with increased hygiene measures, physical distancing, face coverings and symptom monitoring.
- Check for fever, coughing or other symptoms of COVID-19 before team sports or practices. · Stay home if sick.
- Places of worship are encouraged to consider social distancing, hygiene measures and face coverings.
- Children should follow hygiene measures, physical distancing, wear face coverings and monitoring for symptoms are encouraged for all group gatherings.
To view the color-coded COVID-19 risk indicator, click here.
