November 18, 2020 - Tipping Point
Tipping Point
November 18, 2020
Alabama hit its 2nd highest daily case count today - 2,638 (incl. 889 probables), pushing our 7-day moving average over 2,100 for the first time ever. This high total was aided by increases in counties throughout the State, including records or near records in Jefferson, Shelby, Marshall, Etowah, Cullman, Morgan and DeKalb counties. The pervasiveness of this pandemic is felt by the fact that not one single county now has a 14-day positivity rate under 15%, the first time that has ever happened. More than 77% of Alabama’s counties (52 of 67) are seeing positivity rates over 20%.
There were just 8,122 tests, leading to a single-day statewide positivity rate of 32.5% and a 22% rolling average over the last 7 days. Meanwhile, we saw 46 more deaths today, which follows 52 deaths yesterday, a two-day death toll that has been matched only once before - on November 10-11 (117).
Our statewide hospitalizations rose again, crossing the 1,300 level (1,303) for the first time since August 17. Although the Huntsville Hospital Health System is only 8 patients off its all-time high, hitting 220 in all, UAB Hospital (83 patients as of yesterday) is well off its peak of 124 in late July. DCH Health System (68 patients) remains below its peak of 106 COVID-19 patients, reached on August 6, the same day as our statewide peak of 1,613 patients.
This relentless pandemic has reached a tipping point just as two vaccines - Pfizer and Moderna - are on the verge of receiving formal FDA approval. The rollout and distribution of these vaccines will soon reach a critical stage, making it essential that there be a seamless transition between the Trump and Biden Administrations. If valuable time is tragically squandered in this handoff, as appears likely, it will be felt in the loss of tens of thousands more American lives.
I believe that history will look back on the coming days and weeks as the defining moment of our generation, just as Pearl Harbor was for The Greatest Generation. Instead of weapons of war, we are armed with masks and vaccines. The question is, will we take responsibility and step up to meet this challenge? The totals:
11/5 - 1381
11/6 - 1556
11/7 - 1768
11/8 - 1205
11/9 - 1190
11/10 - 1720
11/11 - 2070
11/12- 2000
11/13 - 2980
11/14 - 2226
11/15 - 1979
11/16 - 1410
11/17 - 1616
11/18 - 2638
Jefferson - 368 cases (3rd highest daily total); Madison - 170; Shelby - 157 (record); Marshall - 133 (record); Etowah - 122 (3rd highest); Tuscaloosa - 103; Cullman - 108 (2nd highest); Morgan -105 (3rd highest); DeKalb - 92 (2nd highest).