Despite misgivings, Idaho needs policies based on smart, science-based CDC guidelines

As a local resident and practicing physician, I am keenly aware of the challenges and local opposition to many of the COVID-19 safety guidelines recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

CDC guidelines are based on the best available medical evidence at the time and are frequently updated based on changes in the medical evidence.

The recent rise of the delta variant as the dominant variant of the novel coronavirus circulating within our state, the ability of this variant to infect younger people and the increasing rates of hospitalization of not only adults but children in other states with low vaccination rates is concerning and distressing.

According to Newsweek, as of Aug. 10 there were 170 children hospitalized with COVID-19 in Florida. This knowledge coupled with the rising daily case count average of greater than 500 cases within Idaho should raise alarm and lead to the implementation of mitigation strategies following CDC guidance.

Such policies will allow our children to return to in-classroom learning, workers to continue to work and society to continue to function in the safest environment possible.

Such policies also keep safe our families and other members of our communities who are at risk due to illness, have ineffective vaccine response due to immunosuppression or are unable obtain vaccines.

Coronavirus infection has been proven to have killed over 600,000 people in the United States.

It has been proven to have injured by causing respiratory failure, myocarditis, thromboembolic disease, peripheral nerve injury, brain injury and long-term fatigue. Severely ill patients requiring ICU stays are at risk for death, long-term disability, PTSD, and they and their families are separated from one another during the most trying portions of their illness.

CDC guidelines for mitigation of SARS-Co-V2 are based on the best currently available evidence and facts, not on misinformed irrational misgivings that have their roots in paranoid conspiracy theories.

For the safety of children, employees, families, students and the safety of our greater community, I encourage school districts, employers, health districts, local governments and members of the community to support the implementation of policies proven to reduce risk of spread.

These should include mask mandates, social distancing measures and encouraging vaccination.

Let’s support thoughtful, empathetic and rational leadership that implements evidence-based policies that protect the most vulnerable. As a pulmonary and critical care physician who has taken care of countless ICU patients since the onset of the pandemic, this is not a disease you want. Let’s step up as a community and do what we must to end the needless suffering and death that SARS-Co-V2 can inflict.