Governor Kay Ivey on Wednesday issued her twenty-sixth supplemental emergency proclamation transitioning the state from an amended Safer at Home Order to a new Safer Apart Order, the third phase of COVID-19 pandemic health orders. Masks will no longer be mandated statewide, but individuals are strongly encouraged to wear a mask or other facial covering when in public and in close contact with other people. This order goes into effect at 5 p.m. on Friday, April 9, 2021 and extends until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 5, 2021.

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Is it possible to test if someone had the virus but is cured now?

Serological tests (tests that look for antibodies specific to a bacteria or virus) are a common diagnostic for other infections and could be developed. A serological test could tell you if you have a current infection or have been infected in the past. Researchers in Singapore and China, and a company called EUROIMMUN, have claimed that they have developed a serological test to detect the presence of antibodies against the virus that causes COVID-19. While the tests developed in Singapore and by EUROIMMUN still require validation and approval, researchers from China state that their test has been commercialized.

Drafted 19 March 2020