Alabama governor promises no 'mandates,' no 'closures' with latest COVID state of emergency

Alabama Republican Gov. Kay Ivey is promising that her latest COVID-19 state-of-emergency order will not involve large-scale shutdowns or statewide mandates, calling the order a "limited, narrowly-focused" measure meant to preserve healthcare space throughout the state. 

Ivey's state of emergency, issued on Friday, seeks to implement "measures to expand the capacity of the healthcare workforce" in the state; the measure also looks to "free up bed and treatment space" throughout the state. 

Yet Ivey in a Friday statement clarified that the order will not go far beyond those aims. 

"I want to be abundantly clear: there will be absolutely no statewide mandates, closures or the like," Ivey said in a media statement. "This state of emergency is strategically targeted at removing bureaucracy and cutting red tape wherever we can to allow our doctors, nurses and hospital staff to treat patients that come through their doors."

"Let me be crystal clear: Alabama remains open for business. Alabamians do not need government telling us what to do or how to do it," she continued. 

Confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state have spiked to near-record levels in recent weeks, though deaths there have remained lower than in the earlier record spike in the earlier months of the year.