COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho — The Coeur d'Alene City Council voted Monday to implement a 90-day mask mandate. Hundreds of physicians at Kootenai Health supported the move, citing concerns about hospital capacity.
Emotions were high outside the Coeur d'Alene library as a group protested the mandate. While cases have been on the rise in Kootenai County specifically, attendees are skeptical of the facts.
"I would have to consider it, but I feel like they are working against what the people want, and they're working against science," said of the attendees. "More people are getting sick from wearing masks."
While the mandate passed, there are those that are not positive whether they would listen or not. Violators of the mandate will face an infraction, not arrest.
"We co-immunity herd," said another attendee. "We don't do anything different, just like we haven't done anything different with the flu or the common cold for the last 75 years."
The mask mandate took effect at 12:01 a.m. on October 27. It will be in effect for 90 days unless it is terminated, modified or extended at an earlier date.
