October 1, 2020 - K-12 Dashboard
K-12 Dashboard
October 1, 2020
Alabama experienced another day of above-average cases and below-average tests. - 1,043 cases (incl. 445 probables) and 6,709 tests - for a one-day positivity rate of 15.5%. Our 7-day average positivity rate (including positives) now stands at 11.9%, which is good for 12th in the nation. There were also 8 more deaths, bringing our overall deaths in the State to 2,548.
Current statewide hospitalizations are remarkably stable. Over the last 4 days, the number of inpatients has remained in a tight range of between 760 and 774 with approximately 105 hospitals reporting.
I am just as concerned as ever about the disproportionate number of positive cases in relation to the State’s low volume of testing .... which is why I support Gov. Ivey’s decision to extend the mask order. To underscore the problem Alabama faces, consider this: Alabama is 4th in the nation in per capita cases (3,155 per 100K population) since March and we’re gaining on Florida (3,289 per 100K) and Mississippi (3,299 per 100K). Meanwhile, Alabama is 41st in the nation in per capita tests (24,278 per 100K). Texas is the only Southern state with per capita testing lower (23,276 per 100K) than Alabama.
At least, we’re not Wisconsin (population 5.9 million), which reported 2,887 new cases today and is averaging 2,400 daily cases for the last week. That is three times the state’s daily average in early September. It’s so bad that the Army Corps of Engineers is making plans to build a 530-bed field hospital on the state fairgrounds, yet the Trump campaign is moving forward with two large rallies in Wisconsin this weekend against the recommendation of his Administration’s own coronavirus task force.
There were two developments in the vaccine race today. In an open letter to employees, Pfizer CEO appeared to distance himself from President Trump’s prediction that its vaccine is only “weeks away” from approval, saying the company “would never succumb to political pressure”. One of Pfizer’s chief competitors, Moderna, announced that its vaccine will not be ready until spring, 2021.
Finally, State officials announced their plan to roll out a COVID-19 dashboard for K-12 public schools throughout the State. Dr. Scott Harris of ADPH said the information on the dashboard will not be broken down by individual schools, but instead, by school districts, and that school districts will not be required to report. We are left to wonder how useful this information will be if reporting is strictly voluntary. The totals:
9/17 - 670
9/18 - 1,106
9/19 - 1,301
9/20 - 798
9/21 - 818
9/22 - 804
9/23 - 569
9/24 - 1,053
9/25 - 2,452
9/26 - 933
9/27 - 730
9/28 - 662
9/29 - 571
9/30 - 1,147
10/1 - 1,043
There were some county-specific reporting anomalies in the data the last two days. For instance, Tuscaloosa County reported 192 cases yesterday (incl. 15 probables), an individual record, but only 16 cases today. On the other hand, Baldwin County reported 357 cases today (incl. 346 probables), an individual record, but only 18 cases yesterday.