POSTFALLS – Gov. Brad Little said Friday that he was amazed at Kootenai County’s ability to administer COVID-19 vaccines through his healthcare facilities, and said he is completely confident that local clinics will be able to deliver doses at a safe and orderly way to get into the arms of the residents.
“We’ve figured this out faster than the amount of vaccine we’ll be getting,” said Little from the Northwest Specialty Hospital clinic in Post Falls.
Along with Rick Rasmussen, CEO of Northwest Specialty and a legion of volunteers and staff, Little stopped by the clinic as part of a tour of Pocatello, Sandpoint, and Post Falls to oversee a performance of the vaccination clinics in Idaho. Little said the efforts he saw at Northwest Specialty have given him a new dose of optimism.
“This is a typical, very good Idaho story where a group of people – Rotarians – with a great company and all their connected people come together and just go for each other,” said Little. “What I’m interested in is whether we get more vaccine, can we scale up, can we double or triple [capacity]? So that I can sleep now. Now I have to get the vaccine. “
Idaho’s vaccine problem is one of demand over supply, an issue confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control earlier this week after their report listed Idaho as the second-lowest per capita dose in the country.
While Little said he has not received a satisfactory or complete answer to the question of why the Gem State received so few doses – 10,300 per 100,000 residents, according to the CDC – he identified two of the factors. One of these, he said, is Idaho’s relatively young population – the second youngest, next to Utah.
The other reason is growth.
“[The federal government is going off] old population data, ”Little said. ‘We are the fastest growing state. But even when you factor that in, we still don’t get our fair share. “
Little said he was in constant contact with the still-in-transition Biden government, and will continue to step up pressure on the White House to increase Idaho’s vaccination allocation.
“I had a call with the new president’s chief economic adviser and said,“ Please don’t change much about us. Tell us what we’re going to get. Don’t change the rules for us as every state is trying to scale this up. Little said. During the phone call I had with him on Monday, he said, “ Whatever you got last week, you’ll get 16 percent more for the next three weeks. So that gives us something [assurance]. But Idaho is not getting our fair share. “
Little has been emphasized since before the vaccine became available how he pushes for herd immunity, where a high percentage of vaccinated Idahoans will calm coronavirus numbers into a manageable virus that won’t overwhelm healthcare.
While Little has said in previous interviews that the ideal percentage of residents vaccinated is somewhat vague, the governor said on Friday that that number could be closer to 70 percent. He added that recent ad campaigns from the Department of Health and Welfare promoting and vaccinating both health protocols and masks have been effective, and he regrets not getting a more effective message sooner.
“We should have done that sooner,” he said before adding a sarcasm. We should have done better: Just because the governor says you have to do something – I know this is a shock – maybe people won’t do it. We had to take health care and the ordinary people out and say, “These are the consequences of it.” I think that’s helpful. “
As the COVID-19 numbers decline, the number of residents eligible for the vaccine will rise dramatically in the coming days. Monday, Idahoans age 65 and older will be eligible for the vaccine.
That number will increase the need for vaccinations – a need currently reserved for primary care health workers, educators and residents, and long-term care staff – by more than 260,000 statewide.
One person who will help facilitate those vaccinations is General Michael Garshak, Commanding General of the Idaho National Guard. Garshak was part of Little’s entourage on Friday. He told The Press that the Governor’s leadership has laser-focused the Guard as vaccination efforts continue to develop.
“We support the state health districts and health facilities to assist in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Garshak. “That comes in a wide variety of missions, from logistical support to contact tracking, testing, screening.”
The number of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations has decreased since the first week of January. When asked what reasons his coronavirus team might have gleaned from that data, Little said input from Panhandle Health volunteers and staff provided new insight into the positive trends.
“I spoke to the Panhandle Health investigators,” he said. They said that initially everyone knew a young child who got COVID, and it was nothing. But now they are beginning to know someone who, unfortunately under certain circumstances, has passed away. Many people got very sick. “
