With record breaking numbers of new COVID-19 cases and fatalities, Idaho is in the worst phase of the pandemic so far. The coronavirus is having an effect on all aspects of life. Even if you or your loved ones never get sick with COVID, there's no way to avoid the economic, political and public health effects in Idaho.
The South Central Public Health District board voted down a mask mandate for the Magic Valley counties during a Thursday meeting. It marks the second time in two months the health board has taken action against a policy that local doctors and hospital leaders are calling for.
The pandemic, which could conceivably have brought our country together, has instead contributed to our growing political divides. According to a paper by the Brookings Institute, partisan affiliation is often the strongest single predictor of behavior and attitudes about COVID-19. Political affiliation is even more powerful than local infection rates or demographic characteristics when it comes to how folks will respond to the recommendations from health experts.
COVID-19 continues to ravage the state of Idaho, with climbing hospitalizations and deaths. At the same time, local and state government officials are struggling to get folks to follow mask mandates where they do exist and encourage mask use where they are not required.
As COVID-19 cases continue to surge across the Mountain West, Utah’s Governor Gary Herbert reversed course Sunday night and imposed a statewide mask mandate. Meanwhile in Idaho, we hit a new record of daily confirmed cases Monday, bringing Idaho’s total case count to almost 64,000. Idaho medical experts are urging a statewide approach as hospitals reach capacity.
The Twin Falls City Council abruptly reversed course Monday, voting to indefinitely table a discussion on a face mask mandate after nearly four hours of heated testimony.
Medical providers who sit on the committee that wrote Idaho’s framework to ration medical care if it becomes necessary are asking Gov. Brad Little for a statewide mask mandate.
Twin Falls could have a mask mandate as early as next week. On Monday night, the Twin Falls City Council voted 5-2 to direct city staff to draft an ordinance requiring face masks in public. It will receive an official vote during next Monday's council meeting.
Listen
Listening...
/
1:27
Click 'play' to hear the audio version of this story.
In late May, a Waffle House employee in Colorado was shot and wounded. The reason? A patron allegedly grew angry after the employee told him to wear a mask, according to multiple reports.
Social gatherings in Ada County were restricted Tuesday to 10 or fewer people, in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. And folks in Valley County will now have to wear masks.
Listen
Listening...
/
1:56
Click 'play' to hear the audio version of this story.
The Southwest District Health board meeting was cancelled about half an hour after it was supposed to begin 8:30 a.m Thursday morning "due to safety concerns," according to a press release from the health district.
Listen
Listening...
/
1:10
Click 'play' to hear the audio version of this story.
First, it was cleaning products. Then, toilet paper. Now, sales of alcohol and video games are skyrocketing. All of these are no coincidence to Niusha Jones, a marketing professor at Boise State University.
The City of Ketchum became the latest community to mandate face masks in public, with a 3-1 vote Monday night. Moscow, Hailey, Driggs, McCall and Boise made the move last week.
