Announcement: Temporary Closure of the Mobile County Animal Shelter and Restatement of COVID-19 Protocols

Posted on: Aug 18th, 2021 | News and Announcements COVID-19 Press Releases featured news

MOBILE COUNTY, Ala. – Effective immediately, Mobile County Animal Shelter is temporarily closed to the public. Due to a recent COVID-19 exposure, all shelter employees will be under quarantine for 10 days. The shelter is tentatively scheduled to reopen to the public on Monday, August 30, 2021.

During this closure, only critical personnel will adhere to protocols similar to those implemented during extreme weather events to maintain minimal operations:

The Mobile County Animal Shelter and Animal Control department will be sanitized and masks worn by any essential employees performing critical work during this time. Any employee exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 will not be allowed to work.
Kennel Operations - Personnel will clean and provide essential care to animals daily.
Administration Operations - Public pet adoptions will be halted during this time. To reclaim pets, call 251-316-1165.
Placement Partner Organizations: If needed, staff will continue to remotely work with Placement Partner organizations to move animals out of the facility during the closure period.
Field Operations - Animal Control Officers will be on call to respond to high priorities or emergencies within the unincorporated areas of Mobile County. For emergency Animal Control dispatch during this time, call 251-574-8633.

In response to the COVID-19 Delta Variant, Mobile County and the 13th Judicial Circuit, which is housed in Mobile Government Plaza, both recently updated their health and safety protocols.

Updated Mobile County COVID-19 Protocol, Due to the Delta Variant Outbreak

To help safeguard against the virus, Mobile County employees are encouraged to adhere to the following recommendations, in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Alabama Department of Public health guidance:

Employees are encouraged to get vaccinated.
Employees are encouraged to wear a mask when in the presence of another co-worker; when working with the public; when working or traveling in close quarters; and when traveling with more than one person in a County vehicle.
Limit the number of occupancies in a County vehicle to two (2) in the front seat and two (2) in the back seat.
Hold meetings via conference calls, Zoom, Go-to-Meeting or similar.
Sanitize infected and high–use areas.
Restrict the number of employees entering a break room
Restrict work related travel (especially into hot areas).
Maintain safe social distancing.
Reinstall the shields at the reception desks and conference room tables.
The elevator occupancy in Mobile Government Plaza is limited to four passengers.

As of August 16, 2021, the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court is implementing the following for the “courthouse,” which references the north tower of Government Plaza and its elevators:

All persons entering the Courthouse for Courthouse business or proceedings are required to wear a mask and practice social distancing.
Jury trials are suspended in Mobile County until October 4, 2021 (If you received a juror summons for any week prior to October 4, 2021, you DO NOT need to report to jury duty)
In-person proceedings are permitted (social distancing requirements must be followed at all times. For most courtrooms, this means no more than twenty (20) persons in court, including staff)
Limited jail inmates in court (No more than one inmate may be present in court at a time, and no inmates or corrections officers who are COVID-19 positive, or suspected positive, may be present in court).
Video conferencing /tele-conferencing is strongly encouraged.
To regulate and control the flow of persons in the Courthouse, the Circuit and District Judges operating in the Courthouse will follow a schedule coordinating the activities on each floor of the Courthouse and throughout the Courthouse.
Teleworking is encouraged when feasible and practicable. (Employees are not to report to work if they are sick, exhibit any COVID-19 symptoms or have had close contact within 10 days with someone diagnosed with COVID-19.

According to Mobile County Health Department (MCHD), the COVID-19 hospitalization rate has increased 700% in just a month’s time. While USA hospitalization is at capacity, other hospitals are concerned at the disturbing rate of increase since early July. The Delta Variant is a more contagious virus and can infect an individual within seconds of exposure.

For more information about local COVID cases and hospitalizations, you can visit MCHD’s website at https://mchd.org/.