POST FALL – Gov. Brad Little said Friday that he marveled at Kootenai County’s ability to administer COVID-19 vaccines through its health facilities, saying he is fully confident that local clinics will be able to get doses to the arms of residents in a safe and orderly manner.
“We’ve already figured it out faster than the amount of vaccine we’ll have,” Little said from the Northwest Post Falls Hospital clinic.
Along with Northwest Specialty CEO Rick Rasmussen and a legion of volunteers and staff, Little made a stop at the clinic as part of a tour of Pocatello, Sandpoint and Post Falls to oversee an increase through the clinics. of Idaho Vaccines Little did he say that the efforts he saw at Northwest Specialty injected him with a new dose of optimism.
“This is a typical Idaho story, very good, where a group of people (Rotarians) go with a great company and all their affiliate people and they just do it,” Little said. “What interests me is, if we get more vaccine, can we increase the size? Can we double or triple [capacity]? So I can sleep now. Now I have to get the vaccine. “
The problem with Idaho’s vaccine is demand over supply, a problem confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control earlier this week after its report indicated that Idaho was receiving the country’s second per capita doses. .
Although Little said he has not received a satisfactory or complete answer as to why Gem State has received so few doses (10,300 per 100,000 residents, according to the CDC), he has identified two of the factors. One, he said, is the relatively young population of Idaho: the second youngest, next to Utah.
The other reason is growth.
“[The federal government is going off] old population data, “Little said.” We’re the fastest growing state. But even if you take all of that into account, we still won’t get our fair share. “
Little said he has maintained constant communication with the Biden administration, still in transition, and will continue to pressure the White House to increase Idaho’s vaccine allocation.
“The new president’s chief economic adviser, I called him and said,‘ Please don’t change us much. Tell us what we will achieve. Don’t change our rules, because all states are trying to extend that. “” Little said. “In the call I had with him on Monday, he said,‘ Whatever you have last week, you’re going to get 16 percent more over the next three weeks. ’So that gives us a little bit of that. [assurance]. But Idaho is not getting our fair share. “
Little has been stressed since before the vaccine became available how it is boosting herd immunity, where a high percentage of vaccinated Idahoans will calm the number of coronaviruses in a manageable virus that will not overwhelm the health care system.
Although Little has said in past interviews that the ideal percentage of vaccinated residents has been a bit nebulous, the governor said Friday that the number could be closer to 70 percent. He added that the recent advertising campaigns of the Department of Health and Welfare promoting both health protocols and masks as well as vaccination have been effective and that he regrets not receiving a more effective message sooner.
“We should have done this before,” he said before adding a note of sarcasm. “We should have done a better job: just for the governor to tell you to do something, I know this is a shock. People may not do it. We had to get the health industry and the regular people out and to say, “Here are the consequences. I think it’s helpful.”
As COVID-19 numbers tend to decline, the number of residents eligible for the vaccine will increase dramatically in the coming days. On Monday, Idahoans age 65 or older will qualify for the vaccine.
That number will increase the need for vaccination – a need currently reserved for front-line health workers, educators and residents and long-term care facility staff – by more than 260,000 statewide.
One person who will help facilitate these vaccinations is General Michael Garshak, Commander-in-Chief of the Idaho National Guard. Garshak was part of the Little Friday entourage. He told The Press that the governor’s leadership has given the Guard a laser approach as vaccination efforts continue to develop.
“We support health districts across the state and health centers to help them respond to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Garshak said. “This includes a wide variety of missions, from logistical support, to tracking contacts, testing, testing.”
New cases and hospitalizations of COVID-19 have decreased since the first week of January. When asked what reasons his coronavirus team might have obtained from this data, Little said the contributions from volunteers and Panhandle Health staff offered a new insight into the positive trends.
“I was talking to people who trace to Panhandle Health,” he said. “They said, originally, everyone knew a guy who had COVID, and it was nothing. But now they are beginning to meet someone who, unfortunately, in some circumstances, died. A lot of people got really sick. ”
