Utah governor issues statewide mask mandate. Now it’s your turn, Gov. Little
Utah’s Republican Gov. Gary Herbert issued a statewide mask mandate Sunday night in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Now, it’s Idaho Gov. Brad Little’s turn to do the same, recognizing that this is the best path forward to preserve public health, ensure our health care system doesn’t get even further overwhelmed and to protect our improving economy.
Utah and Idaho are experiencing surges in COVID-19 cases and deaths, and hospitals in both states are straining to the breaking point under the load.
One of Idaho’s largest hospitals has been strained so heavily by the surge of COVID-19 cases that it was forced this weekend and last weekend to send patients elsewhere, according to a story by Idaho Statesman reporter Audrey Dutton.
St. Luke’s Magic Valley hospital in Twin Falls went on diversion for 12 hours the weekend of Oct. 31 and for 12 hours earlier this weekend. That meant it not only couldn’t take patients who needed to be transferred from other hospitals, but also didn’t have room for patients who came in needing medical care.
In Utah, Herbert’s recommendations come after Herbert met with Dr. Robert R. Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Dr. Deborah Birx, who heads the coronavirus response for the White House task force, according to TV station KSL.
Idaho’s governor also recently met with Birx.
On Oct. 29, Little posted on Twitter a photo of himself with Birx in Idaho Falls, with the message, “Thank you Dr. Birx for stopping in Idaho today!”
On Oct. 13, Little on Facebook thanked “world-renowned global health official and physician Ambassador Deborah Birx for taking the time to call and discuss Idaho’s increasing virus activity, what we’re doing to address the main causes of COVID-19 spread, and how the Administration can help.”
In the visit to Idaho Falls, Birx reportedly told public officials that testing and mask use must become more widespread, according to Eastern Idaho Public Health Director Geri Rackow in a report of the visit by the Post Register.
Even the White House Coronavirus Task Force’s report issued to governors recently advocated mask usage and even encouraged doling out fines in Idaho for people who don’t wear a mask.
Last week, members of the State of Idaho Disaster Medical Advisory Committee, or SIDMAC, called on Little to issue a statewide mask mandate.
“Unfortunately, our systems are being overwhelmed,” according to a letter from the committee to the governor.
Idaho on Sunday set a new seven-day moving average record for coronavirus cases, and health officials reported six new deaths and more than 600 new cases.
Idaho’s seven-day moving average hit a peak of 1,129.8 on Sunday, meaning the state had reported nearly 1,130 new cases of COVID-19 each day for the last week. The seven-day moving average record was broken each day over the last week as cases surged.
On Monday, the United States hit the 10 million mark of people infected with coronavirus, Johns Hopkins University reported.
Utah hit a record-high, seven-day positive test average of 20.6% cases per day on Sunday, according to KSL. The state also reported a new high of 424 current COVID-19 hospitalizations, bringing Utah’s ICU occupancy to a record-high 78.2%. Utah hospitals announced recently that they expect to begin rationing care soon in the face of surging cases, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.
“We must do more, and we must do it now,” Herbert said in his announcement. “This is about much more than just mandates. This is about personal responsibility.”
Herbert’s announcement means Utah joins 33 other states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., with some sort of mask mandate.
Little, meanwhile, as he has continuously done throughout the pandemic, has tried to appeal to Idahoans’ personal responsibility and avoided a mask mandate.
Little would do well to follow the leadership of Utah’s governor and issue a statewide mask mandate for Idaho.
This story was originally published November 9, 2020 at 1:25 PM.