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It took months, but these Idahoans got COVID-19 shots. What changed their minds?
Rey Ramos spent 127 days making a decision. But last Wednesday evening, he parked at a Saint Alphonsus mobile clinic in Caldwell. He got out of his car, put on a cloth mask, hesitated for a few minutes, then walked up to get his first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Ramos was one of […]
Here’s how effective COVID-19 vaccines have been in Idaho. (Hint: Very.)
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare last week shared a graphic to illustrate how much of Idaho’s COVID-19 activity is among the unvaccinated. Elke Shaw-Tulloch, Idaho’s Public Health Division administrator, was making a point about how getting a coronavirus vaccine can reduce the risk of getting sick with COVID-19, significantly reduce the risk of […]
Who pays for public health? Who sets pandemic rules? Idaho changed the law
Two bills passed through the Idaho Legislature in the 2021 session that changed how Idaho’s public health districts are funded, and how much authority they have. State and local governments are now taking up a big question: “What does the future of public health look like in Idaho?” said Seth Grigg, executive director of the […]
As delta spreads, Idaho’s COVID-19 cases are ‘headed the wrong direction’
Idaho Health and Welfare Director Dave Jeppesen began the state’s latest COVID-19 media briefing with some bad news: After several weeks of improvement, all of Idaho’s coronavirus indicators are “now headed the wrong direction,” he said. “These trends are very concerning, particularly as we look forward to the fall, with the return of the flu […]
Boise-area hospitals are getting full again. Saint Al’s urges vaccination.
Hospitals in the Boise area are once again starting to hit capacity. It’s not just because of COVID-19 patients. But the more infectious delta variant now spreading through Idaho isn’t helping, a local hospital administrator said. State data show a rise in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. The number of patients statewide with the coronavirus had […]
Bedke: ‘We’re going to be deliberate’ on lt. gov.’s request to look at vaccine rules
Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin issued a letter to Idaho House Speaker Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, on Friday calling on him to reconvene the Legislature to address the issue of health care providers mandating COVID-19 vaccines for employees. Bedke told the Idaho Capital Sun on Friday afternoon that he and Senate leadership plan to do more research […]
Many Idaho health care workers face a choice: get the COVID shot or leave your job
Almost all of the Boise area’s largest health care employers on Thursday said they’ll require staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by fall. Anywhere from to 22% to 28% of the health care organizations’ staff haven’t gotten a coronavirus vaccine. Based on the size of their workforces, that means thousands of health care workers must […]
Doctors, public health skeptics, others apply to join Boise-area health board
The Ada County Commissioners will soon choose their next nominee for the board of Central District Health. That board is tasked with making public health decisions for Ada, Boise, Elmore and Valley counties. The health department’s goal is public health through efforts such as immunizations, infectious disease prevention, environmental health, restaurant inspections, child care inspections […]
Multiple complaints accuse Idaho Freedom Foundation of breaking nonprofit rules
An eastern Idaho man who created a new nonprofit organization to serve as a watchdog for political candidates and groups has filed a complaint against the Idaho Freedom Foundation with the IRS. Travis Oler, a Democratic legislative candidate from Shelley, created the Hold Idaho Accountable nonprofit organization earlier this year. One of his first actions […]
Idaho AG’s Office to GOP leaders: Yes, it is legal to keep adult vaccine records
Republican leaders in the Idaho Legislature this year accused the state of unlawfully keeping vaccination records and said the records should be destroyed. But a response from the Idaho Attorney General’s Office told them they were wrong. House and Senate Republican leaders on April 9 sent a letter to Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden that […]
Idaho Freedom Foundation official fined for breaking lobbyist registration law
Dustin Hurst, vice president of the Idaho Freedom Foundation, has been fined $250 for lobbying on Idaho’s higher education budget without first registering as a lobbyist. The Idaho Freedom Foundation is a Boise-based nonprofit organization that advocates for limited government. It created an organization in recent years called Idaho Freedom Action, with the same staff […]
President Biden didn’t invite Idaho’s governor to wildfire meeting
Idaho has among the worst wildfires in the nation. It is home to the National Interagency Fire Center, which coordinates wildland firefighting for the U.S. And experts predict this year’s droughts and record-high temperatures may bring more fires. But as President Joe Biden hosts a meeting of Western governors today to talk about this year’s […]