More restrictions likely

Brace for another step backward.

Marissa Morrison-Hyer, Gov. Brad Little’s press secretary, told the Coeur d’Alene Press that today, Little will likely announce additional restrictions to slow the coronavirus spread.

“(Gov. Little) is set to announce more COVID-19-reducing restrictions and help for Idaho’s health care systems,” Morrison-Hyer said.

As of Thursday, the deaths of 749 Idahoans were attributed to the coronavirus since the pandemic began in March. Wednesday’s count of 1,693 new positive cases set the state’s daily record, shattering the mark of 1,403 cases set Nov. 7. A total of 26,511 new cases have been recorded in Idaho dating back to Oct. 16.

Idaho had spent most of the summer and early fall in Stage Four of Little’s Idaho Rebounds plan, which allowed for virtually all activity but still maintaining health protocols for businesses.

But on Oct. 26, as COVID cases were climbing and hospitals statewide clamored for action while critical care vacancy shrunk, Little brought the state back to Stage Three, hoping that curtailing nightclub activity would reduce the spread.

That move has not paid dividends, however, as the state has seen 7,370 new cases in the last five days alone.

“I have conversations with the hospital administrators and the hospitals every day but now it is not brick-and-mortar, it's not ventilators, it's not the ICU,” Little said. “Now it’s personnel, physicians assistants, doctors, registered nurses. Particularly people that work in the respiratory area because you can't just take a general person and have them run a ventilator. You’ve got to have somebody really skilled to do that and if we’re short in skilled staff then we have a problem.”

Little was at the Hagadone Event Center Thursday to address the Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber of Commerce, where he told the audience he is considering options to help Idaho’s hospitals, which include canvasing available National Guardsman.

Little said only so much can be done in North Idaho if the area doesn’t have the requisite number of able-bodied health care workers.

“When I started this process, we had a temporary hospital we were going to put up at the Fairgrounds,” Little said. “But a temporary hospital doesn’t do any good if I don't have any skilled staff to be in it.”

Little added that he's particularly alarmed by not only a shortage of health care workers, but also by the shortage of available beds. A total of 361 beds in Idaho are now occupied by COVID-positive or COVID-suspected patients, with 94 taking up Intensive Care Unit beds, a number trending upward since the beginning of autumn.

“Since then, and I know Kootenai Health is one of them, a lot of hospitals have gone past their capacity,” Little said. “It’s critical.”

Today’s press conference begins at noon.

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Reporter Madison Hardy contributed to this story.