US: Cases of coronavirus in Idaho spike after businesses reopen

For a time in Idaho, it seemed like worst of coronavirus pandemic could be over. After an initial onslaught of confirmed cases in spring, by June numbers h dropped to a point that state leers felt comfortable allowing businesses to reopen and life to get back to nearly rmal.

A new spike of COVID-19 occurrences has prompted some concern, however. number of daily confirmed new cases has qurupled over past two weeks to roughly 345 — nearly double what numbers were during state’s first outbreak.

“It’s alarming,” Idaho Gov. Br Little said Monday.

Idaho is still far from being a national hot spot: state ranks about 14th in nation for new confirmed cases per capita, and death rates linked to COVID-19 are minimal here compared to or states — with about 5.4 deaths per 100,000 residents, compared to about 171 deaths per 100,000 New Jersey residents, for example. Death reports can lag behind coronavirus diagses by weeks, however, so it's too soon to tell if Idaho's death rate will remain low.

Despite his concern, Little doesn’t anticipate shutting state back down. He says hospitals have sufficient capacity and stocks of personal protective equipment.

Previous shutdown efforts have been controversial and sparked protests. For heavily Republican, agriculturally focused state, coronavirus has highlighted an ongoing clash between ultraconservatives who abhor government mandates and tritional conservatives who believe science and individual responsibility will le way through pandemic.

Idaho reached Phase 4 of Little’s four-step reopening plan in mid-June, allowing bars to reopen and large garings as long as people wore masks and took or precautions such as social distancing. By middle of next week, however, health officials anunced an outbreak linked to infected patrons who visited half a dozen Boise bars. Ar outbreak was linked to a grocery store in central Idaho. And in eastern Idaho, officials reported that an infected patron spent more than eight hours at a bar in eastern Idaho.

Bruce DeLaney, who co-owns Rediscovered Books with his wife, Laura DeLaney, says responding to pandemic has been a constant conversation at his home over past several weeks. He doesn't want to see Boise become ar New York City, at one point nation's biggest hot spot, where his mom and bror saw toll of virus firsthand.

“It's tough hearing stories out of re. You can't talk to people who've been re and t have that color what's going on here,” he said. "I have a staff, I have a family, our customers have families and I don’t want anybody getting sick because I me m come to work in unsafe conditions."

state's introduction to COVID-19 started with a boom in March. Within days, Blaine County, home to tony Sun Valley Resort, was under an emergency stay-at-home order amid a spike in cases sparked largely by out-of-state traffic to region.

Yet many in state were unconcerned. y still saw coronavirus as a big-city problem, t something that could touch isolated ranching and farming towns where generations-old homestes have withstood drought, blight and ecomic depressions. Social media posts with sentiments such as, “If you ever licked a salt block as a kid, you can't get coronavirus,” started to become popular.

On March 25, Little expanded stay-at-home order statewide. Within a few hours, goverr was garnering both praise for taking decisive action and complaints from those who said he overstepped. Some far-right lawmakers said mask recommendations and forced business closures violated residents' personal freedoms.

Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin was repeatedly critical of Little.

“I lose sleep at night because heavy hand of our government is hurting so many Idahoans,” she wrote in a May editorial, ding that many residents were still waiting for unemployment benefits.

Idaho's conservative lawmakers have long been reluctant to legislate medical matters, with frequent attempts to limit abortion, trans care and or reproductive care issues being big exceptions. state is one of a few that still has “faith healing” exceptions to child abuse laws, allowing some parents to avoid prosecution if a child dies from lack of medical care. Idaho's vaccination requirements are also flexible, allowing unvaccinated kids to attend school if ir parent objects to vaccines.

As a result, state has pockets with very low vaccination rates, and Idaho has become a popular destination for so-called “anti-vax refugees” from California and or areas with stricter vaccination rules. That ethos has spre to pandemic public policy debate, and anti-vaccine groups such as Health Freedom Idaho have joined forces with libertarian lobbying and think tank organization Idaho Freedom Foundation to protest stay-at-home orders.

Hospital capacity seems to be equate so far: As of Sunday evening, state health department officials said re h been 369 people hospitalized, 124 of whom were mitted to ICU. state still h just over 100 available ICU beds and 468 ventilators available as of Sunday, however, according to Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.

DeLaney, like many or Idaho business owners, initially offered delivery services, n ded curbside pickup and appointment-only shopping. w numbers inside store are limited and everyone must wear a mask and use hand sanitizer.

For most part, he said customers have been understanding, though some have pushed back against rules.

“y are pleased that we seem to value ir well-being over being best capitalists that we can be,” he said.

Some local government leers are taking action in absence of a statewide face-mask mandate. Starting last Saturday, Boise’s mayor, Lauren McLean, me face coverings mandatory for people in public s where social distancing can’t be observed.

order was met with relief by many, and protests by some. Health Freedom Idaho organized a protest that brought a few hundred people to Boise’s City Hall last Friday. Some protesters burned masks and chanted, “We will t comply!"