Here are the Idaho counties with the highest and lowest COVID-19 vaccine rates
Some Idaho counties are better protected than others against COVID-19 as cases start to overwhelm hospitals and the health care system.
Idaho’s COVID-19 vaccine uptake is lower than the national average, but counties’ COVID-19 vaccine uptakes among the eligible population — those 12 and older — range anywhere from around 28% to 89%. Blaine County, which includes Sun Valley, Ketchum and Hailey, has the highest vaccination uptake, at 89%, followed by Ada County, which is at 63%.
For its numbers, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is using the 2019 American Community Survey, the latest available estimates that break populations down by ages 12 and older. As of Friday, the department reported that about 52% of Idaho’s eligible population received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The national average is 70%.
Vaccine rates in Idaho remain the highest in the older population: More than 79% of those 65 and older have received at least one dose.
Public health experts have consistently said getting vaccinated remains the best protection against COVID-19 as the state faces its fourth surge of the coronavirus pandemic.
Cases in Idaho are rising among the younger, unvaccinated population. While no deaths have occurred among those younger than 18 in Idaho, more children have been hospitalized nationwide, and babies and toddlers have been shown to spread the virus more, said Dr. David Pate, former CEO of St. Luke’s.
With North Idaho’s COVID-19 hospitalizations skyrocketing, Kootenai Health in Coeur d’Alene issued a dire news release on Wednesday about what the hospitals could be facing. It was coupled with a graph that showed COVID-19 hospitalizations and critical care numbers shooting straight up. Kootenai County’s vaccine uptake is just 44%.
The statement said it was “not our intent to frighten but rather to inform our community of what lies ahead if the current trajectory continues.”
“Idahoans have always valued freedom and independence. We also recognize the value of working together as a community to take care of our own,” the release said. “Never were those qualities needed more than now. If we want continued access to health care and businesses, and for schools to remain open, every one of us must individually do our part to collectively defeat COVID-19.”
This story was originally published August 20, 2021 at 11:17 AM with the headline "Here are the Idaho counties with the highest and lowest COVID-19 vaccine rates."
