Idaho has not met the requirements needed to exit Stage Four of the Idaho Rebounds reopening plan, Gov. Brad Little announced in a press conference today.
Stage Four is the final stage of the Idaho Rebounds plan, allowing visits to senior living facilities and jails, gatherings of over 50 people and the openings of higher-risk venues like sporting venues and nightclubs. The plan provides guidance to businesses and individuals on how to reopen the economy safely. Two weeks ago, Idaho barely met criteria to enter Stage Four.
“We were hopeful, in an ideal world, that some of that guidance we would slack up on,” Little said. “Guidance for travel, guidance for restaurants, guidance for large events, all that guidance that’s under Stage Four will stay in place. In an ideal world, we’d go back to what we did, more and more we’ll get closer to what it was. We’re not slamming on the brakes; we’re tapping on the brakes.”
State epidemiologist Dr. Christine Hahn said Idaho did not meet epidemiologic or healthcare-related criteria to move forward with reopening. Over the past two weeks, Idaho has seen increased trends in reported COVID-19 cases, positive diagnostic tests, number of emergency department (ED) visits for COVID-19-like symptoms, number of ED patients with COVID-19-like symptoms admitted to the hospital and number of healthcare workers (HCWs) diagnosed with COVID-19.
Idaho met syndromic criteria because although both characteristics — number of ED visits for COVID-19-like symptoms and number of ED patients with said symptoms admitted to the hospital — had increased trends, both were under the threshold required to move forward in Idaho Rebounds.
“The statewide approach three months ago was the right thing to do, but from the start our plan was to eventually transition to a more regional approach,” Little said. “Earlier this week, Central District Health made the decision to move Ada County back to a modified Stage Three in order to protect lives and preserve healthcare capacity.”
Mayors of Idaho cities and all seven public health districts (PHDs), along with Little and Idaho Health and Welfare Department Director Dave Jeppesen, have the authority to make decisions regarding which areas in Idaho move forward, backwards or stay in place in the Idaho Rebounds plan. Instead of overriding or overruling each other, Little said the best approach is for these entities to work together when making decisions about reopening.
Inconsistencies between how the health districts report cases and make decisions regarding COVID-19 is a risk, Little said, and the mayors, PHDs, Jeppesen and Little discuss how to make these decisions more consistent on a regular basis. The COVID-19 situation in each area of Idaho is unique and requires different actions, Little said.
“Temporarily, some may say ‘we don’t want to close down our whatever it is,’” Little said. “I think the awareness of the people of Idaho is high enough that if it looks like an elected official or an appointed official — which is what the health districts are — are standing in the way of that, it’s to their peril.”
The full press conference, Governor Brad Little Post Stage Four Press Conference, is available on Idaho Public Television’s Facebook page.
This article has been edited to correct a spelling error.
Lex Miller can be reached at [email protected]