A Message From Mayor Gary Fuller

At the City of Opelika we are not taking the COVID-19 situation lightly. We have a responsibility to our community, the people of Opelika and our employees to take all precautions necessary to keep everyone safe and healthy. We are working to limit employee exposure by decreasing in-person meetings when possible. We would also like to ask that if you have any of the COVID-19 symptoms, that you please do not enter city buildings. Please call and conduct business over the phone. We have allowed several employees with immune compromising issues to start working from home. Our goal is to continue providing essential services to our community – fire and police protection, power, solid waste and waste water collection and treatment. We understand that this is a most unusual situation, and ask that you remain calm and use good judgement when making decisions that affect you, your family and those closest to you.

City of Opelika COVID-19 Press Releases

Emergency Ordinance Concerning COVID-19 Approved 3-17-20 (PDF)

COVID-19 City of Opelika Updates 3-17-20 (PDF)

Opelika Municipal Court Outlines Court Procedures - COVID19 (PDF)

Opelika Municipal Court - FULL ORDER (PDF)

COVID-19 City Departments Take Precautionary Measures 3-13-20 (PDF)

COVID-19 Mayor Fuller Statement 3-13-20 (PDF)

City of Opelika Closures

• Opelika Parks and Recreation games, classes, activities and programs until re-evaluation on March 27, 2020. This includes all practices, games, group fitness classes and swim lessons.The Opelika Sportsplex will remain open, but the SportsPlex basketball gym and pool, Denson Drive Recreation Center and Covington Recreation Center will be closed until re-evaluation on March 27, 2020. The Covington preschool will remain open until further notice.
• Lewis Cooper Jr. Memorial Library will maintain regular hours and is open for materials checkout and computer use. Cooper Library has cancelled all events and activities, including scheduled offsite programming, for the next two weeks. As always, our digital resources are available to use anytime at www.cooperlibrary.com.
• All community census events have been postponed until further notice. However, we ask that you still fill out your census online, by phone or via paper when it comes in your mailbox.
• Tot Watch at Opelika Sportsplex will be open this week. We will evaluate Friday, March 20 to see if we will keep it open during the COVID-19 event.
• Opelika Power Services has closed the lobby to the public. Customers can still make payments at the drive-thru, online or by calling 334-705-5170-Option 2.

Opelika Power Services Billing & Services Inforamtion

OPS will continue to bill on schedule each month and payment is due as normal. If payment is not received by the delinquent date, a late fee will be added; however, OPS will not charge a non-payment fee nor will OPS disconnect power if not paid by the disconnect date. 

We encourage you to pay your bill monthly because waiving disconnection and non-payment fees is only an option until April 14. At this time disconnection of services for non-payment would resume on April 15. We will reevaluate this policy again by April 14 to determine if an additional grace period is needed. If you have questions or concerns, call 334-705-5170-Option 3.

Governor Ivey Issues Statement on Statewide Public Health Order

• All gatherings of 25 persons or more, or gatherings of any size that cannot maintain a consistent six-foot distance between persons, are prohibited. This Order shall apply to all gatherings, events or activities that bring 25 or more persons in a single room or single space at the same time.
•  Any restaurant, bar, brewery or similar establishments shall not permit on-premise consumption of food or drink. Governor Ivey continues to encourage patrons to visit their local eateries for take-out or delivery provided the social distancing protocols include maintaining a consistent six-foot distance between persons are followed.
• All beaches will be closed effective today at 5:00 p.m. For clarification, the term “beach” means the sandy shoreline area abutting the Gulf of Mexico, whether privately or publicly owned, including beach access points.

•  Preschools and childcare centers will be closed effective at close of school or business today. This shall not apply to licensed childcare centers that provide services exclusively to employees with: State and Local Governments, First Responders (including EMS and Fire Services), Law Enforcement, Hospitals, Nursing Home/Long Term Care Facilities (including Assisted Living and Specialty Care Assisted Living Facilities), End Stage Renal Disease Treatment Centers, Pharmacies and grocery stores.

•  Effective immediately, all Hospitals and Nursing Home/Long Term Care Facilities (including Assisted Living and Specialty Care Assisted Living Facilities) shall prohibit visitation of all visitors and non-essential health care personnel, except for certain compassionate care situations such as maternity and end-of-life.

•  All elective dental and medical procedures shall be delayed, effective immediately.
• FULL ORDER FROM ADPH

How You Can Do Your Part To Help Prevent The Spread

• Do not gather in groups of more than 25 people
• Maintain 6 feet -- social distancing
• People age 60+ should not gather in groups of more than 10
• Order takeout or delivery from local restaurants
• Limit exposure in public buildings
• Do not travel out-of-state if it’s not essential
• Wash your hands
• Do not touch your face
• Cover a cough or sneeze
• Clean and disinfect surfaces and doors as often as possible
• Stay home if you are sick; call EAMC hotline at 334-528-SICK if you are exhibiting an symptoms

East Alabama Medical Center Update (March 18 - 5 p.m.)

NO VISITORS

EAMC has made the difficult decision of announcing a NO VISITORS policy starting tomorrow morning (Thursday, March 19) EXCEPT for Pediatrics and Level 2 Nursery (2 primary caregivers), laboring women (1 primary support person), Emergency Department (1 visitor, ED lobby only) and end-of-life circumstances. However, if the attending physician or nurse manager determines that a support person is needed, the family will be contacted to make such arrangements.  “This temporary change is not a step we wanted to make,” said Laura Grill, President and CEO.  “However, with Lee County now having the second most COVID-19 cases in Alabama, we feel that it is extremely important to use this tactic to help flatten the curve of cases.”

Notice to Employers

Our Emergency Departments at EAMC and EAMC-Lanier are receiving individuals who are expressing that they have one or more of the symptoms associated with COVID-19 and that their employer is requiring them to receive a COVID-19 “test” before returning to work.  Please know that we cannot “test” every person who comes to the ED with these symptoms due to the limited number of supplies available for use for specimen collection.  Also, pleased understand that “testing” means that a specimen is collected and sent to either the ADPH or an independent lab to determine if the person is positive or negative for COVID-19.  Such collection kits must be reserved for patients who meet “screening” criteria for “testing.”  People with symptoms of cough, shortness of breath, and/or fever can contact their physician or 334-528-SICK for “screening.”    

Lee County Cases now at 8

The ADPH announced this afternoon that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Lee County had grown to a total of 8, up from 3 this morning.  That is the second most among Alabama’s 51 cases.  Three of the cases are from specimens that EAMC submitted to ADPH or to an independent lab.  And since more collections have occurred in the past few days, hospital officials expect more confirmed cases for Lee County in the coming days.  EAMC does not know of any possible connection between the cases.

SCREENING AND TESTING

As of 3 p.m. today, our 334-528-SICK hotline had received 397 calls today.  We have 12 lines being answered.  Hours for the hotline are 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.

• At EAMC’s drive-through collection center at HealthPlus, we had collected 140 specimens as of 5 p.m.  That brings our total this week to 240.
• Specimen collection will continue on Thursday, but as a reminder, they are by appointment only.   
• Plans are to open a collection tent at EAMC-Lanier on Friday.  It will have limited hours and appointments still have to be made through 334-528-SICK.
• Regarding screening and collection of samples, here’s what the public needs to know:
  1. People having MILD symptoms should treat COVID-19 in a similar way they would the seasonal flu, except not to use ibuprofen.  Speak with a pharmacist about which over-the-counter medicines are best for you.  Also, isolate yourself from family and friends.     
  2. People who feel they need medical attention should contact their primary care physician or other local provider. 
  3. If the medical provider determines a COVID-19 test is warranted, they will collect the specimen there and submit to ADPH or to an independent lab.  If the physician’s office is out of supplies or do not have the ability to collect, the patient can call 334-528-SICK for evaluation.   
  4. Calls to 334-528-SICK should be used when exhibiting the COVID-19 symptoms and possible emergent care is needed.

Calls to 334-528-SICK does not guarantee a COVID-19 specimen will be collected and submitted for testing.  Instead, patients will be screened on the phone and if the medical provider on the phone determines a COVID-19 test is warranted, directions will be provided on going to EAMC’s drive-through collection center.

Blood Donations Must Go On
EAMC receives 100 percent of its blood supply from the LifeSouth Community Blood Centers, with the vast majority coming from the blood center on the main EAMC campus (505 E. Thomason Circle, Opelika). The blood supply in America is facing an unprecedented challenge due to COVID-19. Large numbers of blood drives are being cancelled daily and donors are increasingly practicing social distancing, as they should. Hospitals are likely to see critical shortages of blood products occur in the near term if the trajectory does not change. While shortages are not severe today, a critical blood shortage of all blood types will occur if donations simply stop.
 
If you are healthy and able, we encourage you to call the local LifeSouth office at 334-705-0884 to schedule an appointment.  LifeSouth is limiting the  number of donors in the center at one time so as to keep donors and staff at appropriate distances.  They are doing the same at their blood drive buses.   Below are LifeSouth’s hours of operation:
 
Monday and Thursday: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Sunday: 12 – 5 p.m.
 
EAMC Apothecary offering curbside pickup
Beginning Thursday at 8 a.m., EAMC’s Apothecary will be providing curbside pickup of prescriptions outside of The Surgery Center on the back side of the hospital.  A station will be set up there from 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. daily.  Payment for prescriptions will be by credit or debit card only; no cash will be accepted. If someone is picking up a prescription outside of these hours, they will need to call 334-528-2293 to arrange pickup.  The Apothecary is EAMC’s retail pharmacy that is open 24/7.

Opelika City School Information

The Opelika City Schools are committed to ensuring that students are fed a nutritious meal when schools are closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Carver Primary School and Opelika High School will be serving lunch meals Monday-Friday from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. beginning Monday, March 23. The meals will be provided for free to anyone 18 years old or younger regardless of which school they attend. No paperwork is required. Children must be present in order to receive the meal. Please note that the schools will be set up for pick up service only. No meals will be consumed on site. Directional signs will be posted at Carver Primary and Opelika High School.

The Opelika City Schools will be closed through April 3, 2020. This includes all school related activities. For ongoing information, visit the Opelika City Schools Facebook page and follow local media coverage.

Resources

For any questions or guidance regarding Coronavirus COVID-19 please refer to the CDC website (travel warnings) for the most updated information https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html.

The Alabama Department of Public Health updates can be found at http://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/infectiousdiseases/2019-coronavirus.html.

For the most recent information from the Opelika Chamber of Commerce, visit https://chambermaster.blob.core.windows.net/userfiles/UserFiles/chambers/2875/CMS/COVID-19-update.pdf.

For the most recent information from EAMC, visit https://www.eamc.org/patient-and-guests/coronavirus-covid-19-update.

AO Tourism Information on Restaurants and Businesses: https://www.aotourism.com/page/lovelocal?fbclid=IwAR1xoSrZmJD8OEU9xaEAy6R7WbyW3wvLy7Zp7jhh3B3YSlLyfKs2fWLrZLY