‘It’s a different kind of disaster’

Governor assesses preparedness, rallies troops in North Idaho

The chart in front of Brad Little’s staff member appeared simple enough, its lines well-explained, its colors easy to interpret.

“This vertical line,” the Idaho governor explained, “represents the number of infections we could see. This horizontal line is the time from an outbreak’s first case to its last.”

The pair of peaks on the paper — one orange and red, the other blue — might seem like nothing more than middle school mathematics, but within the graph explains the difference between what Little’s administration and health officials agree is life and death.

“Once we cross that threshold,” Little said with a glance toward the narrow orange spike, “that’s when our health care system becomes overwhelmed. That’s when we see a dramatic change in how COVID-19 impacts Idaho. And it’s something we all need to work together to prevent.”

Little’s message Friday came in the midst of a statewide tour to visit health districts — like North Idaho’s Panhandle Health — and gauge the state’s ability to combat the coronavirus, a pandemic that has infected at least 275,000 people worldwide, killing at least 11,368. The chart is part of a nationwide campaign adopted by other countries in an effort to slow the spread of a disease that has left at least 31 Idahoans to test positive, three in Kootenai County.

“[This trip] is absolutely essential,” the governor said during his stop at the Coeur d’Alene Press offices. “To get through this, we’re going to have to have buy-in. We’re going to have to have confidence in our government. And we’re going to have to get the message out that this is going to take all of us.”

Little, who has taken at least three trips to the Idaho Panhandle in the past six months, said this trip was an opportunity to coordinate first-hand with health care professionals grappling with a unique virus that’s causing calamitous shutdowns of businesses and services not seen in more than a century.

“The health districts have always had some role with other disasters,” he said. “But with this, they have a critical role, a key role. It’s a different kind of disaster.”

Little’s information campaign came as he was preparing to deliver an order mandating isolation in Blaine County. The southern county is at the epicenter of Idaho’s coronavirus outbreak, which had left 19 people infected as of Friday afternoon. On Wednesday, that number was four.

“We had several conversations with mayors and commissioners from around the state,” director of Idaho Health and Welfare Dave Jeppesen said, sitting by Little’s side at The Press as part of the tour. “In order to try to contain the spread, we have to mandate this.”

Little’s staff was working on the language of the mandate, which will likely incorporate the Centers for Disease Control guidelines that call for 15 days of self-isolation to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Essential travel for necessities like groceries and health care were likely to be allowed in Blaine County. Still, it’s a government intrusion Little said he does not take lightly.

“The main thing for me is, people want to see we’re all working the same direction,” he said. “It’s our job to keep everyone safe. Our No. 1 role is to keep people safe. And that means our government needs to work. If the spread of this disease gets worse, I want our government to work. If it gets better, I want the government to work.”

Little and his team emphasized the best way for his administration to help Idahoans in the here and now is to marshal the state’s resources, through both public intervention and private collaboration, efforts that haven’t always been either easy or successful.

“When this started and we looked at our supplies, it’s not great,” he said. “We’ve worked every day since this started to keep our supply chain filled. Getting the masks we need, the respirators we need, getting a process for testing: It’s been a challenge, and we’re likely to see more challenges before this is over.”

“We’re feeling better and better about getting those supplies — like respirators — from the national stockpiles,” Jeppesen added. “Now we’re focused on getting those supplies out to the people who need them: the health care professionals and first responders who are working closely with the public.”

Lora Whalen, director of Panhandle Health District, agreed with Jeppesen as she accompanied the delegation throughout her district. “I’m hearing … our providers are anxious to have more [personal protective equipment],” she said. “I think we’re getting close to [getting what we need from] those first stockpiles.”

Jeppesen and Little both agreed that Idaho has gotten creative with bringing together resources to fight the disease.

“Once we figured out what we needed, we started looking around at what we have here in Idaho,” Jeppesen said. “It turns out the Department of Agriculture has some of the equipment we need, so we reached out to them. We’ve been looking at all the possible avenues we have to help with this effort.”

Little further noted the role businesses can play in combating the coronavirus.

“We learned that we didn’t have all the right filters [on respirators from the national stockpiles],” the governor said. “Now that we know what we have to work with and what we need, we can start making them ourselves.”

Little discussed how all options are on the table to not only stop the spread of the coronavirus but provide relief to Idahoans. Not every answer he gave was a solution, as many issues still need to be debated and decided, let alone their details worked out. This includes the hypothetical suspension of HIPAA privacy laws, potential deadline extensions for state taxes, and how schools will solve the education vacancy the coronavirus is leaving behind.

“One of my biggest concerns, one of the real issues I’m having is with all our kids that are home alone,” he said. “I’m concerned we’re going to have an asterisk at the end of this school year, and how that learning gap can be filled.”

It’s one of many concerns weighing on Little as he continues his tour through the state, one he said Idahoans will have an easier time of handling once we make it past the burden of that chart.