This article was originally published by Nicole Blanchard in the Idaho Statesman.
Nearly half of the eligible senior citizens in Central District Health’s four counties, which includes Ada and the city of Boise, have received the COVID-19 vaccine, local health officials said in a news release on Monday.
That news came as the state added 343 new cases and seven COVID-19-related deaths across two days.
Central District Health, which encompasses Ada, Boise, Elmore and Valley counties, said 46% of people 65 and older have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in the past month. In the news release, officials said those in the next eligible group, including food and agriculture workers, transportation workers and manufacturing workers, should start preparing vaccination strategies. The next group is slated to be eligible for vaccination in early April, but that date could change, CDH said.
That news came as the state added 343 new cases and seven COVID-19-related deaths across two days.
Idaho reported 255 confirmed and 88 probable cases of COVID-19 for the Sunday-Monday window. The tally continues the state’s slowdown in cases. (Idaho discontinued separate Sunday reports a few weeks ago.)
Health officials also reported seven new COVID-19-related deaths Monday across six counties: Ada (1 new, 435 total), Bingham (1 new, 63 total), Bonneville (1 new, 147 total), Gem (1 new, 33 total), Jerome (1 new, 21 total) and Kootenai (2 new, 183 total).
The Bingham County death was a woman in her 70s, Southeastern Idaho Public Health said. Eastern Idaho Public Health reported that the Bonneville County death was a man in his 60s.
Since last March, 1,869 Idahoans have died of COVID-19-related causes. Idaho has reported 139,147 confirmed and 32,405 probable cases. Health and Welfare estimates that 94,707 people have recovered.
The following counties reported new cases on Monday: Ada (60 new, 39,710 total), Bannock (7 new, 4,697 total), Benewah (3 new, 486 total), Bingham (6 new, 2,558 total), Blaine (7 new, 1,960 total), Boise (1 new, 229 total), Bonner (3 new, 2,417 total), Bonneville (23 new, 8,899 total), Butte (1 new, 164 total), Camas (1 new, 53 total), Canyon (25 new, 20,939 total), Cassia (1 new, 2,440 total), Custer (1 new, 179 total), Franklin (1 new, 862 total), Fremont (2 new, 895 total), Gem (1 new, 1,334 total), Idaho (2 new, 881 total), Jefferson (2 new, 1,805 total), Kootenai (48 new, 14,794 total), Latah (25 new, 2,604 tota*), Madison (15 new, 5,565 total), Nez Perce (5 new, 3,065 total), Oneida (1 new, 223 total), Power (1 new, 458 total), Shoshone (1 new, 945 total), Teton (3 new, 618 total) and Twin Falls (9 new, 7,006 total).
FEMA ALLOTS $39M FOR IDAHO VACCINATION CENTERS
The Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded Idaho $39 million to set up COVID-19 vaccination centers across the state, according to a Monday news release from the agency.
The funds could help support up to five vaccination centers in Idaho. The money will go toward labor, supplies, refrigeration and other costs associated with distributing the vaccine. The Idaho Office of Emergency Management will allot the funds to eligible applicants. The Idaho agency estimates the vaccination centers could distribute up to one million vaccine doses in 90 days.
A third vaccine to combat the disease caused by the virus — this one from Johnson & Johnson — just gained FDA approval.
ALBERTSONS HEADQUARTERS HOSTING VACCINE CLINICS
Albertsons will host weekly COVID-19 vaccine clinics at its ParkCenter Boulevard headquarters, according to a news release from the company.
The clinics began last Friday and are scheduled to continue every Saturday until May 1, officials said. They run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 250 E. ParkCenter Blvd.
Idahoans who are eligible to receive the vaccine can register online at mhealthcheckin.com.
DAILY DETAILS
Vaccine doses administered in Idaho: 376,058, according to Health and Welfare. Of those, 122,068 people have received only their first dose.
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 7,111 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 1,234 admissions to the ICU and 9,591 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 Feb. 28, the health system was reporting 14 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 364 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 4%.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of Feb. 28, the health system was reporting 26 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 333 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 9%.
Testing totals: Health and Welfare reported that 640,412 people had been tested statewide. About 21.7% of those have been positive for COVID-19.
Boise School District: Reported confirmed cases since Feb. 16: Adams Elementary (1), Amity Elementary (2), Boise High (1), Borah High (5), Capital High (2), District Services (2), Fairmont Jr. High (1), Frank Church High (1), Hillside Jr. High (1), Les Bois Jr. High (1), North Jr. High (1), Riverglen Jr. High (3), Riverside Elementary (1), Roosevelt Elementary (1), South Jr. High (2), Taft Elementary (1), Timberline High (2), Trail Wind Elementary (2), Valley View Elementary (2), West Junior High (6), Whittier Elementary (1).
West Ada School District: Reported confirmed cases for Feb. 15-28: Centennial High (2), Eagle High (7), Rocky Mountain High (5), Lewis and Clark Middle (1), Lowell Scott Middle (1), Meridian Middle (1) Pathways Middle (1), Victory Middle (1), Barbara Morgan STEM Academy (1), Cecil D. Andrus Elementary (1), Peregrine Elementary (2), Prospect Elementary (1).
Counties with confirmed COVID-19 cases: Ada 39,710, Adams 251, Bannock 4,697, Bear Lake 253, Benewah 486, Bingham 2,558, Blaine 1,960, Boise 229, Bonner 2,417, Bonneville 8,899, Boundary 414, Butte 164, Camas 53, Canyon 20,939, Caribou 330, Cassia 2,440, Clark 44, Clearwater 748, Custer 179, Elmore 1,248, Franklin 862, Fremont 895, Gem 1,334, Gooding 913, Idaho 881, Jefferson 1,805, Jerome 1,955, Kootenai 14,794, Latah 2,604, Lemhi 401, Lewis 279, Lincoln 371, Madison 5,565, Minidoka 1,896, Nez Perce 3,065, Oneida 223, Owyhee 878, Payette 1,891, Power 458, Shoshone 945, Teton 618, Twin Falls 7,006, Valley 642, Washington 847.
