February 23, 2021
Alabama recorded 1,453 cases today (incl. 878 probables), the 2nd highest daily total since February 6. At the same time, there were just 4,812 reported tests, which produces a 30.2% positivity rate, the highest rate for a single day since February 3. There were also 68 more reported deaths. With 9,660 deaths overall, we should cross the 10,000 death threshold in Alabama by the end of this week.
True, we are seeing very real improvements, especially reduced hospitalizations - 762 patients as of today, which equates to 7.4 per hospital, a level last seen on October 8. Yet, there are days like today which remind us that we cannot let down our guard. Not now. Not after how far we have come.
We cannot forget the power of this virus to destroy. 500,000 American deaths in the last year is (i) 3 times the number of U.S. deaths in any kind of accident, including highway accidents, during 2019 (167,127); (ii) more than 8 times the number of deaths from influenza and pneumonia combined (59,120); (iii) more than 10 times the number of suicides (48,344); (iv) more than the combined deaths from strokes, diabetes, kidney disease, Alzheimer’s and related causes (406,161). Only heart disease (655,381) and cancer (599,274) caused more deaths in the last year … and the 1st Covid death was not recorded until February 29, 2020.
The ICU crisis we faced 4-6 weeks ago is over for now, but we cannot afford to forget how far we have come. Before Covid, the national average for ICU occupancy was 67 percent, according to the Society of Critical Care Medicine, as hospitals generally reserved those units for people recovering from surgery or illnesses or accidents. Compare that to the first week of this year, as Covid peaked, when more than one-fifth of American hospitals reported their intensive-care beds were at least 95% occupied.
The national ICU database was updated yesterday and reported Alabama’s average occupancy rate is 87%, compared to the national average of 73%. Over the last 7 days, the average occupancy rate in 9 Birmingham hospitals was 89% (Grandview 95%; UAB Hospital 91%; St. Vincent’s 69%). In 2 Huntsville hospitals, the average was 91%. It was 99% in 5 Montgomery hospitals; 95% in 7 Mobile hospitals; 76% in 2 Tuscaloosa hospitals; 97% in 3 Anniston hospitals; 91% in Gadsden; 63% in Florence; 105% in Dothan; 100% in Opelika; 97% in Cullman; and 53% in Decatur.
Meanwhile, the most ambitious vaccination program the world has ever known labors on. In our little corner of the world, 790.4K of 927.3K doses have now been administered (85.24% of the State’s total). After repeatedly admonishing State officials 4-6 weeks ago for lagging every other state (i.e. 20% of doses administered), I must say that the State’s 85% rate today is nothing short of astounding. Currently in Alabama, 580.5K people have received at least 1 dose (11.8% of the population), and approximately 226K are fully vaccinated (4.8% of the population). We are now not far off the national pace - 13.4% have received one dose and 6.0% both doses.
No, we cannot forget the awesome power of this virus or the lives it has changed forever, but we also must salute how far we have come. History will record that this pandemic has revealed both the best and the worst of our character as a nation. After the disgrace of leading the world in Covid cases and deaths, we are now leading an uncertain world in a different way. More than 65 million doses have been given in this country and we are well on our way to completing the job by this summer.
2/6 - 1992
2/7 - 1112
2/8 - 925
2/9 - 1318
2/10 - 1401
2/11 - 1503
2/12 - 1097
2/13 - 1189
2/16 - 883
2/17 - 679
2/18 - 1198
2/19 - 847
2/20 - 774
2/21 - 1453