BOISE, Idaho — Governor Brad Little held an hour-long Coronavirus town hall discussion with AARP Idaho Tuesday. Members of the community were able to call in and ask questions about COVID-19 in Idaho.
Questions ranged from prison inmates to what defines a probable COVID-19 case.
"If you're in a household and two members of your household test positive, and you're showing some of the symptoms, you're classified in that," Little says.
Director of Idaho Health and Welfare, Dave Jeppesen, was also on the call and answered the public's questions about probable and confirmed cases.
"We report confirmed and probable on our website. We report that both through the combined number and separately because we want to make sure the public can see all of that information," Jeppesen says.
Callers also asked about testing. Some mentioned that the data around testing could be confusing to the public, especially when numbers can change quickly.
"We are not trying to hide anything. We are trying to get as much data out so we can manage this pandemic the best we can and sometimes there's a timing issue of when the tests get from the lab, from the physician to the health district, to us," Little says.
He also says even though people are overwhelmed by COVID-19, they need to remember acts of kindness like wearing a mask and being respectful.
"If Idaho is doing the right thing, Idaho will rebound more robustly than any state in the union. We will be back in the place where ourselves, children, and grandchildren can continue to prosper here in Idaho," Little says.
The town hall meetings are bi-weekly, and the next one will take place on August 4th. To find out how to ask questions and be apart of the meeting head to their website.
