Can Central District Health back CDC guidelines? Board members seek more control
When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issues public health guidance, it’s not unusual for Idaho’s Central District Health to push out that information through social media accounts and press releases.
Now, some Central District Health board members are questioning the practice.
Raúl Labrador, a former Republican congressman, and Idaho House Majority Caucus Chair Megan Blanksma, a Republican from Elmore County, said Friday that they want to implement a policy that would dictate the kind of content the district — which includes Ada, Elmore, Valley and Boise counties — communicates to the public and posts to social media.
The public health district’s Facebook page earlier this month supported the CDC’s guidance that encouraged children to wear masks in schools to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, and pushed out the CDC’s information.
“My issue is a policy issue,” Labrador told the Idaho Statesman. “Who should be setting the policy for the Central District Health? And I think it’s clear that it should be the board.”
Blanksma also criticized the decision to “endorse” a statement by Boise Mayor Lauren McLean, a Democrat who supported the guidance.
Labrador, who ran unsuccessfully for Idaho governor in 2018, claimed that the CDC has made decisions that have been “more politicized than science-based.” Citing a Wall Street Journal op-ed by two doctors, he said that masks could do more harm than good for children, and that there’s “absolutely no science backing” CDC guidelines over mask wearing among children and the vaccinated.
The CDC, the nation’s public health agency, provides information on the science behind masking recommendations to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Blanksma said the board should determine an overarching policy that would address situations beyond COVID-19. Board members agreed to discuss a potential policy at their meeting in October.
Elt Hasbrouck, a Valley County commissioner and board member, pushed back on the idea from Labrador and Blanksma. He said he doesn’t want to be in a position to decide what information the health district should promote. He said he’s not a doctor and doesn’t feel comfortable making such decisions, and a new policy could lead to the district pushing misinformation.
“If we start going against what CDC is recommending, somewhere along the line, we’re going to make a big mistake and we’re going to lose our credibility,” Hasbrouck said. “That’s my concern.”
Central District Health spokesperson Christine Myron said in a statement that health district officials will consider evaluating practices around social media and put some policy options together for the board to discuss on Oct. 15.
“Our goal at Central District Health is to use social media as a means to keep our communities informed on issues of public health significance,” Myron said Friday.
What Central District Health’s social media posts said
On July 27, the CDC issued updated guidelines that encouraged mask wearing indoors, regardless of vaccination status, if unable to socially distance. This was a response to the more transmissible delta variant of the virus.
That same day, Boise officials announced they would require face coverings inside city facilities. Central District Health issued a press release about 20 minutes after Boise announced its mandate.
The health district, on social media and through a press release, said it “supports” the CDC’s updated guidance on wearing masks indoors when there are high levels of community transmission, regardless of vaccination status. It also recommended masks for all K-12 staffers, visitors and students. It linked to additional county-specific data on the CDC’s website.
“Wearing a mask, along with physical distancing, and choosing to get vaccinated for COVID-19, continue to be our best defense in this pandemic,” the news release stated. “Getting vaccinated prevents severe illness, hospitalization, and death while helping reduce the spread of the virus in the community. With the delta variant present in Idaho counties, choosing to get vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself, your loved ones, and those around you.”
The health district also shared Facebook posts and tweets from Idaho elected officials, including McLean and Republican Gov. Brad Little. One of Little’s tweets encouraged the public to get vaccinated ahead of the school year. In another instance, CDH shared McLean’s Facebook post on July 1 that discouraged fireworks at home.
Labrador on Friday said encouraging masks for vaccinated people gave the impression that the vaccinations didn’t work, and he said that ultimately did a disservice for efforts to vaccinate more of the population.
“I don’t want to be overly prescriptive,” Labrador said, but he added that board members should have a say over the kind of information the district promotes.
The CDC and medical professionals have emphasized that the mask guidance applies to everyone because vaccinated individuals can carry and transmit the delta variant, even if they don’t get sick themselves.
Russ Duke, Central District Health director, said public health advisories are used not just for COVID-19, but for a number of issues, such as sexually transmitted infections, encouraging people to wear bicycle helmets or smoking prevention. And he said the board doesn’t meet frequently enough to be able to decide what information the district can push out on social media, especially in public health emergencies.
“The hospitals are having trouble right now,” Duke said. “We can’t wait until Oct. 15 to make this decision,” referencing the next board meeting.
This story was originally published August 20, 2021 at 12:50 PM.
