Health district mandates wearing masks in all of Ada County as coronavirus cases soar
On the same day a plea came from every major health system in the state, Central District Health’s board voted Tuesday to mandate the wearing of masks/face coverings throughout Ada County.
The decision came from the Board of Health and passed with a 5-1 vote. Ada County has seen a rapid increase in confirmed coronavirus cases, with more than 4,400 as of Tuesday. On Tuesday morning, hospital officials urged Idahoans to wear masks, citing the lack of health care capacity, the spike in cases and the increase in health care workers being infected.
Boise had so far been the only city in the county to mandate wearing a face covering in public places.
Rep. Megan Blanksma, R-Hammett, who represents Elmore County on the board, was the only member to vote against the order, which goes into effect immediately.
Ada County set a record Monday with 285 confirmed cases, according to Central District Health. That marked the county producing more than 100 new cases for the 11th straight day, and it was the third time in a month that cases topped 200. The streak stretched to 12 days Tuesday evening when the county confirmed 191 new cases.
Central District Health has jurisdiction over Ada, Valley, Boise and Elmore counties. The mask mandate applies only to Ada.
Ada County also will remain in Stage 3 of the original Idaho reopening plan for now, meaning bars and nightclubs must remain closed, and gatherings of more than 50 people are forbidden. The rest of the state is still in Stage 4, which allows almost all businesses to be open. Idaho’s rising caseload has prevented an exit from Stage 4 for the past month.
The Ada County order states that every person must cover their nose and mouth when the person is in a public place and physical distancing of 6 feet cannot be maintained. That includes both indoor and outdoor public places, including parks, trails, businesses, offices, sidewalks, and lines for entry/exit or service.
Saint Alphonsus Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Steven Nemerson spoke to the board about the effectiveness of masks and the spread of the disease before the vote. Studies show that if two people are wearing masks, it can reduce the spread of the virus by as much as 85 percent, he said.
Under the health district’s order, the masks would not be mandatory for children younger than 2 or people with certain medical conditions that prevent them from wearing a mask.
“It is a very, very rare circumstance in which a patient cannot wear a face covering,” Nemerson said.
On-duty law enforcement are not required to wear a mask, and people seated at tables who are eating or drinking are not required to have a mask on as long as they have physical distancing.
Masks, combined with social distancing of at least 6 feet and diligent hand washing, can dramatically decrease the spread of the virus, Nemerson emphasized. He said he anticipated that it will take two to four weeks before the results of mandatory face coverings become apparent.
“The COVID train has left the station,” Nemerson said about containing the virus. “We are headed to become New York, California, Arizona, Houston. But the gift that we have been given is time to turn that train around.”
Boise County Commissioner and board member Ryan Stirm said he has been flooded with emails on the subject, but believes medical advice should be followed. He noted that doctors don’t work for the government or the board, and have made clear that masks can help stop the spread of the virus.
“I don’t believe it’s a Democrat thing, I don’t believe it’s a Republican thing, it’s a human thing,” Stirm said. “It might save someone’s life.”
A violation of the district’s mask mandate could lead to a misdemeanor charge, punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. The board did not have the option of making the punishment be only an infraction, under current Idaho code.
Dr. Ted Epperly, who sits on the board, said masks are one thing they can control. He said the virus is the worst he has seen in his 40 years as a physician.
“It is the right thing for the community, it’s the right thing for public health,” Epperly said.
Blanksma said her greatest concern was how the order could be enforced, and she said she’d rather see more efforts to educate.
“If we’re going to set a policy as a board we need to make sure it’s meaningful,” she said. “Enforcement in my own county would be difficult.”
Ada County now joins several Idaho cities that have mandated mask wearing in public, including Boise, McCall, Driggs, Victor, Hailey and Ketchum, as well as unincorporated Blaine County. Some counties, including Ada, Payette and Boise, have mandated that masks be worn in government buildings.
Gov. Brad Little has repeatedly said that he will not issue a statewide mask mandate.
This story was originally published July 14, 2020 at 6:39 PM.
