SWDH meets without mandating masks

Southwest District Health met Thursday morning without putting any mask mandates in place.

CANCELLATIONS..AND A CHANGE OFVENUE..

THESOUTHWESTDISTRICT HEALTHBOARD FINALLY METTODAY IN CALDWELLTO DISCUSS IMPACTSOF COVID-19.AT TIMES...RESIDENTS IN THECROWD GETTINGRATHER VOCAL."WE'RE NOT INBOISE... NATSCHEERS"THOSE CHEERSCOME IN RESPONSETO THE MENTION OFNO CURRENT MASKMANDATES IN PLACEFOR CANYONCOUNTY..

COMPAREDTO BOISE CITY ANDADA COUNTY.DURING THEDISCUSSION THEBOARD CHAIR --FROM GEM COUNTY -ADAMATELY REFUSEDTO DISCUSS AMANDATE WITHINTHEIR DISTRICT..."VIKI: MASKMANDATES THATHAVE BEEN PUT INPLACE IN OTHERSTATES --CHAIR: WE'RE NOTTALKING ABOUT MASKMANDATES.

WE ARENOT BRINGING IT --"I'M CONCERNED IFWE PUT ANYMOREMANDATES ONLONGTERMHEALTHCAREFACILITIES --CHAIR: WE ARE NOTSPEAKING OF AMANDATE VIKI, WHAT IHAVE SAID IS"RECOMMENDATION",AND WE WILL STICKTO THAT.

IF YOUCAN'T STICK TO THATI WILL NOT CALL ONYOU AGAIN.VIKI: YES SIR"ULTIMATELY..

NOMANDATE WAS PUTINTO PLACE.THE BOARDRECOMMENDS FACECOVERINGS INPUBLIC SETTINGS..PHYSICALDISTANCING..

ANDLIMITING CROWD SIZEAT LARGE VENUES.AS PART OF THEDISCUSSION TODAY ...BOARD MEMBERSREFERENCEDHOSPITALS IN OURAREA BEING AT ONLY50-PERCENTCAPACITY..

WHICHLEADERS AT SAINTLUKE'S SAY DOESN'TACCURATELYDESCRIBE WHAT'SGOING ON.THAT WOULD ALSOINCLUDE HOSPITALBEDS IN NEO-NATALI-C-U'S..

ORPEDIATRIC WARDS.IN RESPONSE TO THEMASKRECOMENDATION..RATHER THANMANDATE..

DOCTORSARE DISAPPOINTED."CANYON COUNTYHAS 50% MORECASES PER 100-THOUSAND PEOPLETHAN FLORIDA DOES;HAS NOW TRIPLE THERATE OF HARRISCOUNTY WHEREHOUSTON IS; SO ITHINK IF YOU TAKETHE STATE OF IDAHOAS A WHOLE, THEREARE SOME AREASTHAT MAYBE AREDOING OKAY, BUT WEARE NOT DOINGOKAY IN CANYONCOUNTY AND ADACOUNTY ANDFRANKLY CANYONCOUNTY IS WORSEOFF THAN ADACOUNTY"ON MONDAY OF THISWEEK, ST.

LUKE'SEXPERIENCED ANALL-TIME HIGH OF 100COVIDHOSPITALIZATIONS.ACCORDING TOHOSPITAL OFFICIALS..I-C-U'S IN NAMPA ANDMERIDIAN WEREBOTH FULL ONTUESDAY MORNINGEXCEPT FOR ONEBED IN MERIDIANTHAT IS KEPT OPENFOR PATIENTS WHOREQUIRERESUSCITATION.