Coronavirus: This is what gyms could look like when they reopen; Rite Aid expands testing
The Idaho governor’s office has released new guidelines and protocols for gyms and recreation facilities to prepare for when they are eligible to reopen.
Gyms and rec centers are listed in Gov. Brad Little’s Stage 2 of his plan to reopen the state, dubbed Idaho Rebounds. If Idaho meets the governor’s criteria for reopening as tentatively scheduled, these types of businesses would be able to welcome people on May 16.
As for the suggested protocols, the governor’s office wants these businesses to figure out ways to ensure patrons stay 6 feet apart and ensure ventilation is working properly. Exercise equipment should be spaced out and disinfected thoroughly after use.
Operators should encourage staff members and patrons to wear cloth masks while there, according to the governor’s suggested protocol list. It also suggested that gyms screen staff members and patrons for fevers before they enter. Certain areas like pools should be controlled as well, as the protocol sheet suggests opening only lap pools for swimming and avoiding kiddie pools or areas where people would congregate. Pool slides should be closed.
Little’s office has published other suggested protocol lists for other types of businesses, which can be found at rebound.idaho.gov.
Rite Aid expands coronavirus testing to those with no symptoms
Drugstore chain Rite Aid will begin to allow coronavirus testing for everyone, even those who are asymptomatic, according to a news release from the company.
Starting immediately, adults can sign up online for a time to get tested at no cost for the coronavirus, which causes COVID-19 respiratory disease.
In addition to loosening testing requirements, Rite Aid is adding 46 testing locations across the country, though none in Idaho. The only Rite Aid in the state doing testing is the store at 3250 S. Eagle Road in Meridian.
To register, go to riteaid.com. You must have a government-issued form of identification and be 18 or older.
LDS Church to allow weddings in Idaho, Utah temples
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Thursday that it will reopen a handful of temples worldwide for marriage ceremonies. Idaho, Utah, Sweden and Germany are the only areas allowed by the church to go forward with weddings.
The ceremonies can begin as early as Monday, May 11.
The announcement came from a letter drafted by the First Presidency of the church, which also announced a phased reopening of all temples around the world.
Idaho has three temples that will reopen Monday, in Boise, Idaho Falls and Twin Falls. The state has five total temples, and as of Thursday, the ones in Meridian and Rexburg were not on the list to reopen.
Race, ethnicity data added to coronavirus stats
On Wednesday, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare added a breakdown of coronavirus cases based on ethnicity, a first for the state.
The data show that of the cases where ethnicity is known, roughly 23% of those with the virus are Hispanic and 77% non-Hispanic. The statistics show that the coronavirus has disproportionally affected Hispanic people, as this group accounts for 13% of Idaho’s population.
In addition to the expanded statistics, state health officials also made public a new coronavirus-related death in Payette County. A woman in her 70s recently died from the virus, which is the second COVID-19 death to take place in Payette County.
The state’s overall death count remains at 66, as Southwest District Health officials removed one death from Canyon County’s totals. SDH found that a death attributed to the county was a “non-Idaho resident,” and removed that one from the public numbers. Canyon County’s death total sits at six.
New cases were reported Wednesday across Idaho, most notably 10 in Twin Falls County and eight in Ada. Additional cases were also found in Jerome, Nez Perce, Canyon and other counties.
Nimiipuu Health and Nez Perce Tribe officials said in a news release Thursday that the tribe has 16 positive cases of COVID-19 among the 53 people tested.
Nimiipuu Health is working with health officials at Idaho North Central District, which is performing contact tracing for the cases found within the Nez Perce Tribe. Nimiipuu Health has also given the health district all necessary data to ensure proper protocols are followed. Nimiipuu Health and the Nez Perce Tribe officials say there is no implication of community spread at this time. Nimiipuu Health wants to remind everyone within the tribe to be aware of the small things that can cause the virus to spread, and emphasized the need to follow the Nez Perce Tribe’s stay at home order.
As of Thursday morning, Idaho had 1,994 reported cases of the coronavirus.
Cases have been reported in 33 of Idaho’s 44 counties: Ada 679, Adams 3, Bannock 8, Bingham 4, Blaine 489, Bonner 4, Bonneville 17, Camas 1, Canyon 248, Caribou 1, Cassia 13, Custer 2, Elmore 30, Fremont 2, Gem 11, Gooding 12, Idaho 3, Jefferson 4, Jerome 54, Kootenai 62, Latah 5, Lemhi 1, Lincoln 26, Madison 9, Minidoka 8, Nez Perce 69, Owyhee 8, Payette 14, Power 2, Teton 9, Twin Falls 193, Valley 2 and Washington 1.
Community spread has been identified in 13 Idaho counties: Ada, Bannock, Bingham, Blaine, Bonneville, Canyon, Elmore, Gem, Jefferson, Jerome, Kootenai, Lemhi, Owyhee, Madison, Payette, Teton and Twin Falls.
Kohl’s to reopen Monday
Kohl’s will reopen its Idaho stores on Monday with reduced hours, the company said Thursday.
The openings affect Kohl’s stores at Boise Towne Square Mall, 3275 N. Eagle Road in Meridian, and 16566 N. Marketplace Boulevard in Nampa, as well as stores in Twin Falls, Idaho Falls and Coeur d’Alene.
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Hours will be 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Only one entry will be open in each store. Fitting rooms will be closed.
The stores will dedicate 11 a.m. to noon every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for at-risk people, including older adults, pregnant women and those with underlying health conditions.
Salmon‐Challis National Forest to open some campgrounds
Salmon‐Challis National Forest employees are preparing to gradually open campgrounds for forest visitors. A limited number of developed recreation sites will open May 16.
Hazard trees will be removed, water systems turned on and tested, campsites cleaned, and vault toilets will be pumped and cleaned. The Forest Service hopes to have 30 developed recreation sites opened, or partially opened, by Memorial Day weekend (May 23-25). Trails and trailheads are open now, but users are encouraged to practice social distancing from other visitors.
Additionally, public floating boating permits will resume being issued on May 16 for the Middle Fork of the Salmon and Salmon rivers. The permits will be issued online.
For more information, visit www.fs.usda.gov/scnf.
New jobless claims fall but payment backlog persists
New applications for unemployment insurance in Idaho have fallen by more than 75 percent since their peak in late April and early March, the Idaho Department of Labor said Thursday.
The nearly 7,500 new applicants in the week that ended last Saturday, May 2, raised the number of applicants to 125,000, roughly one in 7 Idaho workers.
The Idaho Statesman reported last week that tens of thousands of workers whose claim filings raised questions about their eligibility remain in limbo, with no money, no resolution of their claims, and no updated information about their applications after five or more weeks of waiting.
Last week, the department said it still faced a backlog of nearly 28,000 pending claims. Complaints continue to pour in this week, though some people posted on the Idaho Unemployment Group on Facebook on Thursday that they had started receiving at least some of their money.
The department said it has paid nearly $60 million in regular state unemployment compensation since Gov. Brad Little declared an emergency March 13. Payments this year are averaging $316 per week.
The department also said it has paid nearly $100 million in supplemental $600 weekly checks authorized by Congress in March in the $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill.
This story was originally published May 7, 2020 at 10:59 AM.
