The city of Hailey is keeping its mask mandate in place, breaking from Ketchum and Sun Valley, which both voted to lift their requirements last week.
Hailey City Council Member Sam Linnet said, according to the South Central Public Health District and St. Luke’s, it was too early to get rid of the mandate.
“They all pleaded with us to keep the mask requirement until we get through this most recent surge,” he said. “Which is something we’re all hopeful and optimistic will occur in the next few weeks, but it has not happened yet.”
The public health district’s risk levels, released every two weeks, show Blaine County in the “critical” risk level for new cases, the case positivity rate and local hospital capacity.
Statewide, COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have been declining in February, but are still high compared to previous surges, according to state health officials.
All council members present at Monday evening’s Hailey City Council meeting voted to extend the face-covering requirement by 60 days.
Council Member Kaz Thea was more hesitant to keep the mask protections in place, saying wearing masks likely contributes to mental health struggles community members are facing.
Mayor Martha Burke said she would likely rescind the order sooner than 60 days, once Blaine County’s risk level improves from “critical.”
Meanwhile, a lawsuit over Hailey’s mask rules moves forward Wednesday when U.S. District Judge David Nye is scheduled to hear the city’s arguments to dismiss the anti-mask mandate case brought against it by Sandpoint-based Health Freedom Defense Fund.
Cities in the Wood River Valley were some of the only municipalities in Idaho to reinstate mask requirements during last fall’s delta surge; Boise requires them inside city facilities.
A new bill introduced to the Idaho House this week would ban local entities from issuing mask mandates.
Find reporter Rachel Cohen on Twitter @racheld_cohen
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