‘Very dark couple of weeks’: Health district shouldn’t wait to issue health order
By Scott McIntosh, Opinion editor
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“It’s going to be a very dark couple of weeks.” That’s according to Josh Michaud, associate director of global health policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation, in an Associated Press article about the looming crisis in health care because of spiking cases of COVID-19.
The White House Coronavirus Task Force issued a similar dark warning: “We are in a very dangerous place due to the current, extremely high COVID baseline and limited hospital capacity,” according to the latest report released Sunday. “A further post-Thanksgiving surge will compromise COVID patient care, as well as medical care overall.”
Dr. Ted Epperly, a Central District Health board member, sounded the alarm locally: “We have an absolute imminent crisis right now,” Epperly said during a meeting Tuesday to discuss a new order for the four counties covered by his district. “If we do not do this (order), we will lose the hospitals. Hear me when I say that. We will lose the hospitals.”
CDH board members are scheduled to vote on the new order Friday evening.
Here’s what our editorial board thinks about the new order and how the board should vote.
Don’t be the reason we lose the ski season
All hail the Bogus Basin hosts and chairlift operators.
They are the heroes who will keep us having a safe ski season this year during the coronavirus pandemic.
Bogus Basin held a season-opening event for season pass holders last weekend and rolled out new safety protocols to protect against the spread of COVID-19.
“We opened for season pass holders really for two reasons,” Bogus Basin general manager Brad Wilson told me by phone Monday. “One, to thank season pass holders for their ongoing support through this challenging year. And the second part of the reason was to really see how our COVID protocols were going to be working in real time. And I think we accomplished both of those over the weekend and learned a lot.”
ICYMI: Boise health order
Boise Mayor Lauren McLean’s announcement that the city would begin enforcing its health order requiring masks to be worn in public was a demonstration of leadership in the face of tremendous political pressure.
The new order will “create consequences,” leading to potential penalties for people and businesses who refuse to follow the guidelines amid a pandemic.
McLean, who had already faced a misguided recall effort that went nowhere over the summer, did the right thing, in the name of public health, and she deserves our support and the support of the entire community.
Our editorial board weighed in with praise for the new order.
What you’re saying
It was an interesting mix of letters to the editor this week. Of course, there was more talk about mask mandates and President Trump’s refusal to accept the election results. We also received letters about the Idaho Attorney General Office’s settlement with three gas station companies over gas prices, comments about David Brooks’ column about “the rotting of the Republican mind,” and a letter encouraging an expansion of tax credits.
You can read all of those letters and more by clicking here.
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