Idaho hospitals are filling with, or are already full of, COVID-19 patients, Gov. Brad Little said in a press conference today. Patients throughout the state have been transferred out of state or unable to access care.
These concerns led Little to announce he was signing a public health order to return the state to a modified version of Stage 3 of Idaho Rebounds.
Bars, restaurants and nightclubs will be allowed to operate, but all patrons must be seated unless entering, exiting or using the restroom, according to the Idaho Rebounds website. Nightclubs will only be able to operate as bars. Long term care facilities must require masks on facility grounds. Large venues must obtain approval from local public health districts to open.
The modified version of Stage 3 does not restrict travel. Indoor gatherings are limited to 50 people or less while outdoor gatherings are limited to a 25% capacity within the space to allow for social distancing.
Two doctors, Dr. Andrew Wilper, the Boise Veterans Affairs Medical Center chief of staff, and Dr. Joshua Kern, vice president of medical affairs for St. Luke’s Magic Valley, commented on how COVID-19 has impacted their facilities.
So far, COVID-19 has killed more than the past five flu seasons combined, Wilper said. Soon, there will be more dead from COVID-19 than those who died in combat in World War II.
Some hospitals in Montana and Utah have had to ration care, effectively deciding which patients live and which patients die, Kern said. Idaho may be pushed to do the same if the situation does not improve.
COVID-19 does not discriminate toward the people it touches and, when it does not kill, can cause long-term health concerns, Kern said. The natural outcome of not acting is unnecessary death and unfair burdens on healthcare practitioners, Kern said.
One simple action Idaho residents can take to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to wear a mask, both Wilper and Kern said. Maintaining social distancing guidelines, washing hands, staying home when sick and getting the flu shot are also responsible personal actions, Little said.
“We live in a country where you can choose whether to wear a mask because someone was willing to die for you to have that freedom,” Wilper said. “That same person who helped to protect that right needs your help protecting them. They need you to choose the thing that may be uncomfortable for you. They need you to do the thing that may be an inconvenient burden for your life, but to not mistake an inconvenience for oppression.”
The return to Stage 3 should not prevent in-person voting, Little said. Those who have been exposed to COVID-19 or have tested positive can contact a local election clerk to arrange accommodations. Resources have been made available to all counties to sanitize voting areas as well, Little said.
The current Latah County Clerk Henrianne Westberg has encouraged voters to take advantage of the early voting period or mail in their ballots, according to earlier reporting from The Argonaut. Details on these voting methods are available in The Argonaut’s voting guide.
The Latah County Auditor/Clerk/Recorder’s office can be reached at (208) 883-2249 or in room 101 of the Latah County Courthouse.
Lex Miller can be reached at [email protected]