Q&A: We answer your questions about COVID-19, Idaho’s stay-at-home order and more
As more confirmed COVID-19 cases appear and Idahoans endure the 21 days of Gov. Brad Little’s stay-at-home order, some people have questions.
What exactly can I do? What’s an essential business? Can I visit my family? How do I file for unemployment?
We asked readers to tell us their questions and said we would do our best to answer them.
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My dad lives in Kuna. I live in Boise. Can we visit each other?
Under Little’s order, issued Wednesday, the answer is probably no.
A stay-at-home order means you stay at home unless traveling for “essential business,” which does not include visits to family unless to provide caregiving services.
What’s more, older people, perhaps including your father, should avoid leaving their homes altogether. The CDC says older adults and people with “serious underlying medical conditions” may be at higher risk. You wouldn’t necessarily want to visit anyway, especially if you’re bringing your children — symptoms tend to be milder in children, and it could be possible for your child to have it and transmit it to your father.
Calling or video chatting would be a better way to talk to your father.
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Do I need to stay 6 feet away from people in my own household?
Inside your home, social distancing rules don’t apply.
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Do I need a permit to move around?
The short answer? No.
That said, it is a violation of the stay-at-home order to travel for anything nonessential. You are still permitted to take your dog for a walk or go for a hike, and you can still drive or take public transit to provide or obtain essential services. All other travel must stop.
Some employers are giving their employees letters to show to any officials who may ask why someone is out. Typically, those letters explain where a person is going and why that is considered essential. Those are different from any sort of government-issued permit, and according to Idaho’s Twitter account dedicated to updating the public on coronavirus news, they are not required.
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I noticed that nonessential retailers are still open. Craft stores, Cabela’s, Best Buy. Does it take a few days for these retailers to shut down?
Typically, no. Many nonessential stores closed their doors by the end of business Wednesday.
It may surprise you what is considered essential, however. Businesses that “supply other essential businesses or essential government functions with the support or supplies necessary to operate” are considered essential. So are businesses that supply products needed for people to work from home. That would explain an electronics store staying open.
Idaho’s order also allows for stores that sell firearms to stay open, which may explain why an outdoor recreation store would be open.
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What’s the difference between coronavirus and COVID-19? Are they the same thing?
The shortest way to explain it is the coronavirus is a virus that causes the disease known as COVID-19. They are not quite interchangeable.
“Coronavirus” actually describes several viruses, named that way because of what the CDC calls “crown-like spikes on their surface.” Common human ones typically cause illnesses like colds or mild upper-respiratory illness.
COVID is short for Coronavirus disease, and 19 refers to 2019, the year it was discovered. In the past, the disease was sometimes referred to as “2019 novel coronavirus” or “2019-nCoV”.
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What do we expect the 21-day shutdown to accomplish?
The goal of stay-at-home order and social-distancing orders is to “flatten the curve,” as public health experts say, by slowing the disease’s spread, reduce the number of cases and reduce strain on the medical systems.
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What about commercial construction? My husband is one of two employees for construction. He needs to work or else we can’t even purchase food for our family.
Commercial construction is considered essential, as is public works construction. Your husband should be able to work as normal, although he may have to follow some cleaning and distancing guidelines.
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Are hotels and resorts essential businesses?
Only for the purpose of providing essential services, such as housing, or for isolation/quarantine.
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What is the estimated number of Idahoans that will need hospitalization in the next 2 months due to COVID-19?
I put this question to Audrey Dutton, an investigative and health care reporter for the Statesman. She directed me to a story she published Monday, titled “For every Idaho ICU bed, up to 14 patients will need it during coronavirus outbreak.”
From her story: “Harvard researchers projected this month that between 11,016 and 33,049 Idahoans will need ICU care at some point due to COVID-19, and the state doesn’t have enough ICU beds for them.”
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Can I still fly in and out of the Boise Airport?
Yes, the airport remains open.
I asked Sean Briggs, the airport’s spokesman, for more information, and he recommended passengers arrive 90 minutes before departure and use close-in parking, as the economy lot has closed. The ticket counters and security checkpoint remain open and operational, but officials are encouraging social distancing throughout the terminal.
Here’s what else he said in an email:
“Some terminal shops and restaurants have closed, and hours of operation may vary. In an effort to slow the spread of the virus, all open restaurants are grab and go only. It’s our goal to continue providing an excellent passenger experience, and we will ensure some retail and food & beverage options remain open for our passengers. We are encouraging residents who plan to visit the airport to pick-up family/friends to please remember to practice social distancing and not have large welcome parties.”
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Will law enforcement actually pull you over to determine where and why you are driving somewhere?
Enforcement of the stay at home order may be different between different state and local agencies. I asked Haley Williams, spokeswoman for the Boise Police Department, what BPD would be doing. She said in an email:
“BPD will not be proactively searching for people violating the governor’s order. We will be responding to complaints and educating the public when we see obvious violations for their safety and the safety of our community. We are expecting the same overwhelming voluntary compliance we received from Boise bar and restaurant owners. In short, our goal is to educate first; prosecute only when absolutely necessary. If we can’t gain compliance we may have to resort to issuing a misdemeanor authorized by the emergency order. Our focus is on education and protecting the public.”
Stephany Galbreaith, spokeswoman for the Meridian Police Department, said Meridian will also not pull people over to check. Patrick Orr, the spokesman for the Ada County sheriff’s office, said the same.
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Can my mom who lives by herself on the other side of the state travel to Boise to be with family?
Unless she is traveling to take care of someone or perform other essential tasks, she should not travel.
She should really not travel if she is 65 or older, if she has underlying medical conditions, if she is from an area such as Blaine County with high rates of infection, if she would be near young children who may pass the virus on to her, or if she may have been exposed to it somewhere else. That’s according to state orders and guidelines from the CDC.
Making that decision is hard, but the stay-at-home order is in place to protect your mother, the rest of your family and anyone else she may interact with.
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Can I meet up with a friend to hike if we walk from home and stay 6 feet away from each other?
Yes, as long as you can stay at least that far from any other peopleas well.
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Do you think I can drive to a remote place to hike if I stay 6 feet from everyone?
I’ve gotten a lot of questions similar to this one.
The stay-at-home order allows for hiking as long as you can maintain proper social distances. But here’s the thing: Nicole Blanchard, the Statesman’s outdoors reporter, published a story Wednesday that said trails are packed, parks are full of people and social distancing rules just can’t be followed in those conditions.
An FAQ from Gov. Brad Little’s office addresses a similar question: “Do I have to stay home and inside, or can I go outside for exercise and recreation?”
The answer? “Outdoor activity near your home is OK, but you should keep a distance of 6 feet from people outside of your household.”
Later the FAQ addresses the question, “Can I drive to a mountain town like McCall or Stanley? There aren’t many people in those communities, so social distancing should be easier.”
The answer? “Generally, no. The point of the order is to keep people home and slow the spread of COVID-19. All nonessential travel must be avoided. Please stay home so you don’t overwhelm the limited resources in small towns and communities who are also staying home to slow the spread.”
Stay close to home, folks. Your faraway hikes will still be there on the other side of the coronavirus outbreak.
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Am I able to visit my partner? We live separately and both have roommates.
For the sake of your health, your partner’s health and the health of every person you live and interact with, stay home.
It’s hard to be away from loved ones, but travel for anything nonessential is a no-go under the stay-at-home order.
As someone whose relationship was long-distance for more than a year, I advise: Set up a consistent video chat schedule where you talk about your days. One time, my fiancé and I had a “lunch date” where we both ate lunch from the same chain restaurant and talked to each other on the phone. It’s not the same, but it’s a nice way to check in and the best way to know everyone is safe while you wait out the stay-at-home order.
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If I’m applying for unemployment because I will only be unemployed during the shutdown, am I required to look for other work?
If you’re applying for unemployment, you’re not alone — Statesman reporter Nicole Foy published a story Thursday with data showing “a 1,200% jump in the number of claims filed for unemployment insurance benefits.”
The important thing to know is that applicants who can’t go to work because their employer is closed indefinitely because of coronavirus are considered to be “job-attached,” meaning they have an estimated day they will return to work.
Here’s a bit from her story that I think may answer your question:
“If applicants have return to work dates within 16 weeks, they are not required to seek work, (Leah Reeder, an unemployment insurance technical services specialist at the Idaho Department of Labor) said. However, applicants still have to file the weekly form certifying how many hours they did or didn’t work, and whether they looked for work that week. Failure to fill out the weekly certification could disqualify them.”
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Is golfing allowed?
Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden says yes.
“Golf is allowed and clubhouse food carryout is, too” he wrote in a tweet Thursday night. “The main difference is the usual pro shop check-in, reservations, payment, etc. These need to take place on the phone, online or by other means that don’t involve person-to-person contact.”
Follow social distancing rules.
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Why is the park in my development open when all city-run playgrounds are closed? Who is responsible for those?
Several cities, including Meridian and Boise, have closed all their city playgrounds, but parks themselves are still open.
The decision to close a playground is up to whoever owns it. That may be your homeowner’s association.
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Can I ride my motorcycle? I have short errands such as caretaking, grocery shopping, etc. These are essential things for me, and my motorcycle is a great way to get out of the house and relieve stress. I just don’t want to get pulled over.
As long as you’re traveling for essential needs, you should be good to go.
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My husband and I are in high-risk categories, so we limit our travel. We only go to the grocery store, but so many items are out of stock. We should not keep going to the store but don’t know what else to do. We found out ordering online doesn’t help as there is no stock. Any ideas?
To combat this problem, many stores have introduced hours for seniors and people in high-risk groups, including immunocompromised people. You may have to get up early and get there right when the store opens. Here are some options I found:
Fred Meyer: Monday through Thursday, 7 to 8 a.m.
WinCo: Tuesday and Thursday, 6 to 7:30 a.m.
Albertsons: Tuesday and Thursday, 7 to 9 a.m.
Boise Co-op: Every day from 8 to 9 a.m.
You may still have to beeline to the toilet paper while supply chains adjust to meet demand. Many stores are saying they anticipate things becoming closer to normal soon.
If it’s an option, I’d also recommend asking a less-at-risk neighbor or friend if he or she would be willing to grab whatever you may be missing on their own grocery runs.
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Micron is requiring some workers to continue their duties on the Boise main site. Gov. Little’s order clearly states only essential services are to continue running. Is Micron forcing onsite workers to violate that order?
My colleague David Staats put that question to Micron. Erica Rodriguez Pompen, head of global corporate communications, emailed in part:
“We comply with all laws, regulations and government orders. The state of Idaho’s order ... provides that individuals may leave their residence and report to a work site if they perform activities necessary to maintain continuity of operations of critical infrastructure sectors identified by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. CISA has designated semiconductor manufacturers as critical infrastructure under the Information Technology Sector.”
About 80% of Micron’s 6,000 Idaho employees are working from home, she said.
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This story was originally published March 26, 2020 at 9:42 AM with the headline "Q&A: We answer your questions about COVID-19, Idaho’s stay-at-home order and more."
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