This article was originally published by Ian Max Stevenson in the Idaho Statesman.
With just 234 new COVID-19 cases reported on Thursday, Idaho continued to trend in the right direction in its ongoing coronavirus fight, and the state also reported that its test positivity rate dropped slightly, to 4.7%.
Test positivity rates are an important metric used by health officials to indicate community transmission. The goal is to be less than 5%, which the state achieved the week of April 4-10 and again last week.
There were no new deaths reported, leaving Idaho’s toll 2,028.
Idaho had tested over 700,000 residents for the coronavirus as of Thursday, according to updated data from the Department of Health and Welfare. The state reported the exact figure at 700,074 since the pandemic arrived last March.
The case total now stands at 185,993. The state estimates that 105,510 people have recovered from the disease.
Health providers have administered 985,867 doses of vaccine, and 435,755 people are fully vaccinated.
The following counties reported new cases on Thursday: Ada (82 new, 51,017 total), Bannock (12 new, 8,630 total), Benewah (1 new, 665 total), Bingham (9 new, 4,785 total), Blaine (9 new, 2,349 total), Boise (2 new, 345 total), Bonner (6 new, 3,201 total), Bonneville (14 new, 14,698 total), Canyon (38 new, 26,221 total), Custer (1 new, 245 total), Elmore (7 new, 1,935 total), Gem (3 new, 1,748 total), Jefferson (3 new, 2,964 total), Jerome (2 new, 2,576 total), Kootenai (15 new, 17,584 total), Latah (4 new, 3,060 total), Madison (3 new, 7,111 total), Minidoka (1 new, 2,362 total), Nez Perce (8 new, 3,554 total), Owyhee (1 new, 1,054 total), Power (1 new, 653 total), Shoshone (2 new, 1,076 total), Teton (3 new, 1,200 total), Twin Falls (8 new, 9,345 total), Valley (1 new, 833 total).
State health officials also subtracted confirmed or probable COVID-19 cases from Boundary (-1, 858 total) and Payette (-1, 2,506 total) counties.
ST. AL’S RECEIVES FEMA MOBILE CLINIC
The Saint Alphonsus Health System has received a vaccination trailer from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to bring vaccine doses to rural parts of southwestern Idaho, according to a release.
Called a Mobile Vaccine Unit, the trailer will be able to serve up to 250 patients per day, and no appointments will be required, according to the hospital.
The trailer’s first clinic will be near City Hall in Homedale, in Owyhee County, from April 26 to May 1. From May 3-8, the mobile clinic will be at Memorial Park in Weiser, in Washington County.
The hospital will administer doses of the Pfizer vaccine at the clinics and will return three weeks later to administer second doses.
Hospital administrators say the clinics, which are focusing on rural areas, will help vaccinate people in harder-to-reach places.
“Saint Alphonsus is committed to addressing health inequities around vaccine access to vulnerable populations and rural communities,” said Odette Bolano, president and CEO of Saint Al’s, in the release.
Though the clinic accepts walk-ins, patients can register on the hospital’s website, or call 208-367-4482 for more information.
“Our ability to finish our pandemic fight strong depends on the accessibility of the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine in communities across Idaho,” said Gov. Brad Little in the release.
HOSPITAL TO OFFER WALK-IN VACCINE APPOINTMENTS
Saint Alphonsus also announced on Thursday that its vaccination clinic at The Village in Meridian would be open to walk-in patients the next two days. On Friday and Saturday, Idaho residents 16 and older can simply show up between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. to receive first doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
The hospital said in a release that it has not decided whether it will continue to offer walk-in appointments past this weekend.
“I think this reflects a little slower uptake in vaccine appointments, but it also I think reflects that we’ve hit a large range of the population,” Saint Al’s spokesperson Mark Snider said in a phone interview. “ ... We want to remove any potential barrier for somebody feeling that it’s easier just to show up than it is to go online and make an appointment that way.”
DAILY DETAILS
Vaccine doses administered in Idaho: 985,867, according to Health and Welfare. Of those, 435,755 people have been fully vaccinated.
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 8,019 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 1,367 admissions to the ICU and 10,387 health care workers infected. Hospital and health care numbers are based on cases with completed investigations into contacts, not the full number of positives.
St. Luke’s Health System: As of April 21, the health system was reporting 28 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 516 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 5%.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of April 21, the health system was reporting 31 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 366 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 10.2%.
Boise School District: Reported confirmed cases since April 13: Boise High (1), Borah High (2), Capital High (3), District Services Center (1), Dennis Technical Education Center (1), Fairmont Jr. High (1), Garfield Elementary (1), Highlands Elementary (1), Hillside Jr. High (1), Horizon Elementary (1), Longfellow Elementary (1), North Jr. High (3), Pierce Park Elementary (1), Riverglen Jr. High (1), Roosevelt Elementary (1), West Jr. High (6).
West Ada School District: Reported confirmed cases for April 9-April 22: Centennial High (1), Eagle High (5), Idaho Fine Arts Academy (1), Mountain View High (1), Eagle Middle (3), Heritage Middle (1), Lowell Scott Middle (2), Star Middle (1), Desert Sage Elementary (2), Frontier Elementary (1), Galileo STEM Academy (1), Mary McPherson Elementary (1), Paramount Elementary (1), Prospect Elementary (2), Siena Elementary (1), Ustick Elementary (1).
Total COVID-19 cases by county (confirmed + probable): Ada 51,017, Adams 334, Bannock 8,630, Bear Lake 376, Benewah 665, Bingham 4,785, Blaine 2,349, Boise 345, Bonner 3,201, Bonneville 14,698, Boundary 858, Butte 208, Camas 71, Canyon 26,221, Caribou 683, Cassia 2,927, Clark 59, Clearwater 1,039, Custer 245, Elmore 1,935, Franklin 1,169, Fremont 1,124, Gem 1,748, Gooding 1,297, Idaho 1,186, Jefferson 2,964, Jerome 2,576, Kootenai 17,584, Latah 3,060, Lemhi 522, Lewis 388, Lincoln 498, Madison 7,111, Minidoka 2,362, Nez Perce 3,554, Oneida 353, Owyhee 1,054, Payette 2,506, Power 653, Shoshone 1,076, Teton 1,200, Twin Falls 9,345, Valley 833, Washington 1,212.
