[Vision2020] Governor Little moves Idaho into Stage 3 of reopening plan: Bars, theaters back in business

[Tom Hansen]

See y’all at Mingles on Saturday, V-Peeps.

As they say (sing) in Germany . . . 

http://www.tomandrodna.com/MoscowCares/Songs/Ein_Prosit.mp3

Courtesy of the Idaho Statesman at:

https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/coronavirus/article243035886.html

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Little moves Idaho into Stage 3 of reopening plan: Bars, theaters back in business

Read more here: https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/coronavirus/article243035886.html#storylink=cpy

Idaho averaged 24.7 new cases per day during those two weeks, but that number increased to 28.8 for May 13-26, the result of a growing number of coronavirus clusters being reported in food processing facilities around the state. Outbreaks have been connected to food processing facilities in Burley, Jerome, Weiser and Kuna since COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, first started spreading.

With the move to Stage 3, bars will be able to open starting Saturday “if they demonstrate ability to meet business protocols,” according to state guidelines.

Originally slated to be part of Stage 4, bars were moved up by Little when he announced the Stage 2 reopening two weeks ago. He said during a news conference on May 14 that the decision was based on science and not any political pressure. Idaho Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin, who owns a restaurant and pub in Idaho Falls, has been among the many to speak in opposition to the state’s mandated closures.

Movie theaters were initially forbidden from opening until Stage 4, but Little said Thursday that theaters were moved up to Stage 3. He said some movie house owners indicated they still would wait to reopen.

Guidelines for theaters listed on Idaho Rebounds include requiring a minimum of three seats (or 6 feet) between parties in any row and closing every other row of seating to ensure distancing. They also must direct the flow of patrons and staff through the facility to reduce person-to-person contact.

Nightclubs will remain closed unless they open as essentially a bar, but nightclub staff should be developing plans for operating with diminished standing-room capacity.

Little said he distinguishes bars and nightclubs largely by how crowded the venue is and whether people can space out to avoid transmission.

Nonessential travel may resume in Stage 3, as long as the location that allows it does not have ongoing transmission. A 14-day self-quarantine for people entering Idaho can be discontinued now as well, unless they came from an area with serious community spread.

Gatherings of 10 to 50 people, both public and private, may take place beginning Saturday, as long as physical distancing and precautionary measures are being followed.

People are still encouraged to wear masks when in public to prevent the spread of the virus and to protect themselves and others. Little stressed that the high rate of infection and transmission are what make masks so important. He called it “respectful” to the workers and others.

“If you’re in an enclosed environment, (and) the circulation is maybe of question, wearing a mask is the right thing to do for yourself and the right thing for you to do for everyone else,” Little said.

When asked whether people should be wearing masks while out grocery shopping or at retail stores, for instance, Little simply responded, “Yes.”

Idaho’s state epidemiologist, Dr. Christine Hahn, spoke Thursday about the criteria the state took into consideration. She said the state has seen a downward trend of people testing positive and a downward trend of people coming into emergency rooms with COVID-19 symptoms.

Idaho health care providers are not operating under crisis standards of care at hospitals, she said.

“We are very comfortably treating all patients with good standards of care,” Hahn said.

Little said maintaining health care capacity is one of the most important focuses when reopening.

Sports venues are still closed during Stage 3, and visits to jails, prisons and long-term care facilities and nursing homes are still prohibited.

More vulnerable people can resume public interactions, but they should socially distance themselves by 6 feet from others, according to state and health guidelines.

“The one and only reason we’re able to progress through stages of reopening is because of the people who individually and collectively have taken personal responsibility in slowing the spread of this new disease,” Little said. “We control our ability to make consumers and employees confident about going back to work and visiting places of business. Our personal choices matter.”

CRITERIA FOR REOPENING

According to the state’s guidelines for reopening, Idaho’s move into Stage 3 was dependent on the positive testing percentage being below 5%. The state has consistently been below this standard, with the data from May 17-23 showing the positive rate in Idaho to be 4.3%.

Little and Hahn said Thursday that their new numbers show the positive testing rate has now fallen to 3.7%.

The testing percentage is based on the day a test was conducted. The information required for that calculation (tests and positive results on a given day) is not publicly available, though. There’s also some question about the data being used for the calculation, because Health and Welfare says it doesn’t have full data from some testing sites (but does have all of the positive results).

According to the “weekly percent positivity of PCR testing by specimen collection date” chart on the IDHW website, Idaho had completed a combined 45,194 tests through Saturday, May 23. However, the statewide number of COVID-19 laboratory tests at the top of the same web page showed that only 43,629 tests had been completed at the end of the day Wednesday — a shortage of more than 1,500 tests four days later.

CORONAVIRUS IN IDAHO

As of Thursday morning, Idaho had 2,493 confirmed cases of the coronavirus. In addition, state health officials said there were 246 “probable cases” of the virus.

Idaho’s death total sits at 82, with the most recent fatality being reported Wednesday in Twin Falls County. A non-Hispanic white woman over the age of 80 died from the virus, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.

Of Idaho’s 44 counties, 34 have reported cases of the virus, and 18 counties have detected community spread.

MOVING FORWARD

Stage 3 of Idaho’s plan to reopen will tentatively last until June 12, when the governor will evaluate whether the state can move into Stage 4, which would begin Saturday, June 13.

Little briefly mentioned that when school starts again, it would be ideal to see, at a minimum, at least teachers tested for the virus before classes are back in session.

He said he knows there will be problems with testing moving forward. He noted that questions raised include the backlog of jury trials that has been building during the shutdown.

“What do we do about testing the jury pools?” Little asked. Those are questions his office is trying to answer, he said.

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Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .

"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)
http://www.TomandRodna.com/MoscowCares
  
Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho
“A stranger is just a friend you haven't met.” - Roy E. Stolworthy


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