ADPH addresses trend of lower COVID-19 transmission rates

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - While COVID-19 remains a threat across the state, the numbers are getting better.

“We have come down from historic pandemic highs, but we’re still in that high community transmission,” said Dr. Wes Stubblefield with the Alabama Department of Public Health.

ADPH’s COVID-19 map has been solid red for months, indicating high levels of community transmission in every county.

Days ago, Sumter County shifted to yellow, meaning moderate levels of community spread. Right now, Sumter County is red again, but five other counties are not.

Lowndes, Bullock, Perry, Chambers and Greene counties are all orange, indicating “substantial” COVID-19 transmission rather than “high.”

“It’s been awhile and it’s certainly good to see those numbers trending downward in pretty much all our categories, including hospitalizations,” Stubblefield said. “Our deaths, however, haven’t fallen but that’s to be expected.”

This is just the data. The doctor stresses real people are being affected daily, and while the tide may be shifting its not time to let your guard down.

“Sometimes when you look at a map, or you look at graphs, or you look at numbers, it’s easy to forget that these are real people that are hurting, that are loved ones, that are fathers and mothers and grandparents and children,” he said.

The doctor is still hopeful for more improvement over the next couple of weeks. By that point, he believes ADPH could begin making predictions on how this pandemic will unfold this spring and summer.

Stubblefield explained that these improvements are likely linked to the vaccines, in combination with people who have already been infected with Omicron.

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