With COVID-19 cases rising in Idaho and hospitals across the state sounding the alarm, state legislators representing District 26 are calling on Gov. Brad Little to issue a statewide mask requirement.
In an email newsletter sent out Friday, Rep. Muffy Davis, D-Ketchum, and Rep. Sally Toone, D-Gooding, urged residents of Blaine, Gooding, Camas and Lincoln counties to reach out to the Governor’s Office to ask for a mandate.
“Idahoans have lost their jobs, homes, and loved ones to the coronavirus pandemic and there is no end in sight,” the two representatives wrote in the email. “The spread of coronavirus is increasing on a nearly daily basis, and it’s clear that our current strategy is not working.”
In an interview with the Mountain Express on Monday, Davis cited a shortage of available hospital beds and health care professionals across Idaho as a primary reason for supporting a statewide requirement.
“As someone who had a catastrophic ski accident, I don’t want to see someone else taken to the hospital and there are no beds for them,” said Davis, a former Paralympic athlete who uses a wheelchair. “We need to have beds open for if [outdoor accidents] happen. We are at that brink where we may not be.”
Another reason for a statewide mandate, as Davis sees it: encouraging Idahoans to go out and support local businesses by making them feel safer in public.
While Little issued a statewide stay-at-home order in March limiting business operations and social gatherings, he has said since then that any additional coronavirus measures—including requiring people to wear face coverings in public—will be left up to local governments and public health districts. Thirty-seven states—including Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington—have implemented some form of a mask mandate.
Blaine County and four of its cities—Sun Valley, Ketchum, Hailey and Bellevue—have had mask requirements in place since July. A number of other cities, counties and public health districts across the state have also implemented their own mandates, though the South Central Public Health District and the city of Twin Falls have not.
Little has said he believes masks are a matter of personal responsibility—not a measure that should be legally required at the state level. Davis disputed that argument, pointing to Idaho’s case rates, death rates and hospitalization numbers.
“I think we tried [leaving mask use to personal responsibility] and it hasn’t been successful,” she said. “That’s the definition of insanity—to keep doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”
Toone told the Mountain Express that the newsletter, which included a link to send a form email to the governor, was in response to numerous calls and emails from constituents on both sides of the issue.
“We had a lot of emails and we felt that was the easiest way to help our constituents have a voice,” Toone said.
“There are people on both sides,” Davis said. “And the people that don’t want it are the ones that have up until now been the most vocal. I think the people who want it should start being vocal.”
As of Monday evening, there had been 111,893 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Idaho, according to the state’s coronavirus dashboard, including 1,383 new cases recorded Monday. There had been 1,055 coronavirus-related deaths across the state.
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“I think we tried [leaving mask use to personal responsibility] and it hasn’t been successful,” she said. “That’s the definition of insanity—to keep doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”
-Kind of like electing under-qualified State Representatives!? Give me a break.
I always respect the opinions of the cult that’s complicit in criminal negligence. Said no one ever.
Idahoans want a life worth living, and that's a free life. Do you think a lion in a zoo is happier than a lion in the wild who risks death? We don't need these tyrannical measures that make life not anything close to what our divine nature wants us to be doing... to be free. We don't need these fear-mongering people who have no knowledge of what life is about, telling us what to do. The survival rate is 99.98% wake up people, ANd to the patriots, we need to start standing up for what we believe in.
If you’re in Blaine County it’s the law, $100 fine or jail for people who do not follow the law in Blaine county, Redfield said if Americans wore face masks for several weeks, "we would bring this pandemic under control," because there is scientific evidence they work and they are our "best defense."
"I might even go so far as to say that this face mask is more guaranteed to protect me against COVID than when I take a COVID vaccine, because it may be 70%. And if I don't get an immune response, the vaccine is not going to protect me," Redfield said. "This face mask will."
Several experts contacted by CBS News agree with that assessment: Since vaccines do not guarantee an immune response, masks may be more effective at preventing COVID-19. T
You're back, ketchumhasgas!
Call or text governor Do little today at Office of the Governor
State Capitol
PO Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720
Phone: (208) 334-2100
Fax: (208) 854-3036 Please wear a mask people it’s safe for you and everyone around you, please get the vaccine shot as soon as you can ,
Good luck with that theres already hundreds of thousands angry idahoans protesting against masks and the dealdly vaccine i emplore you to move out of state and go back to where your from. Sincerely, an American Patriot TRUMP 2020
It’s always ignorant white people that tell others to back to where there from...
Exactly, Native Americans are not telling them to move back to Europe or Russia
🤣😂🤣. I’m Native American , My people were here first (1st) we don’t tell all white people to go back to Russia or Europe, ? Second loser trump supporters are guilty of treason = the crime of betraying one's country, especially by attempting to kill the sovereign or overthrow the government. , currently Trump was committing treason against America ! Idaho Please wear a mask and please quit spreading covid19 when your not wearing a mask in public , also Citizens of Idaho please call the cops if you see someone breaking the law and not wearing a mask indoors in Blaine County
If it were as simple as enacting a mask mandate for covid then we should see some results from the 38 states that have such a mandate. CA is a great case study. They not only have a mask mandate but some of the strictest covid mandates in the country. Instead of living in Harvard green bliss, CA is exploding in covid red and setting records. Closer to home we could compare Blaine County numbers to our neighboring counties like Camas, Lincoln, and Twin Falls who do not have a mask mandate, or really any of the mandates that we have. According to Blaine Counties good friend Harvard, Camas, Lincoln, and Twin all have far less cases per 100,000 than we do and are safer counties. How can that be? With NO mask mandates? There is risk in living. Covid is no bueno, but we can't just stop living, educating our kids or caring for our children's mental and social health because of Covid. Be practical, sanitary, social distance as much as possible, and keep on living. Or, you can choose to stay in your house until nothing bad happens which will be never. In the meantime, the ski hill is perfectly safe.....
we have TOURISM, and workers commuting from southern communities to ours to give us elevated cases.
They wear masks. We have a mask mandate. People from all over Central and Southern Idaho travel to Twin Falls as they are the business hub of our region. They deal with way more people than we do. Yet they still educated their children. Maybe we could send our school board to Twin for some training on how to do what is best for kids and not a ski hill.
The entire state needs a mask mandate otherwise no one will wear one because they are always leaving the county
When will the people stand up and resist this tyrannical form of government a mandate is not law unless voted by the legislature. Jacob Greenberg needs to be arrested and so does the mayor of Hailey for illegal use of endless mandates and using thier powers to enact it. Stand up and resist dont let these other people who think masks actually work fool you. theyre just fear mongering and they scared as well. Stand up and take back whats yours people. Dont these conformist fool you because, they cant think for themselves and know the law and constitution of the United states and Idaho. Your rights are being taken away slowly by these cheaters and liars. Stand and resist go to thier homes protest show them we the people make descions on our own not by unregulated mandates. All buisnesses need not comply either. That is yours and the government has no buisness telling you how to run it stand up and resist. Good luck and god bless America
Regarding constitutional and legal rights, It is legal assault if you knowingly infect others with HIV or TB, just as you should be charged with assault for infecting others with Covid. Alleged "rights" mean nothing if it's citizens are needlessly dead or are debilitated from long term effects of illness. Covid Infections can be minimized through use of masks and physical distancing, which all responsible citizens should do, out of respect for others, at all times when out of their home. Since some, such as you, choose not to, mandates must be made by our responsible elected leaders to protect the rest of us from the irresponsible and reckless members of our community. The irresponsible and reckless should be made to pay for medical/ICU/funeral bills of those they infect...
How come in places like CA, WA, OR, MA, MD, and other democrat run states have the strictest mask mandates yet the highest numbers of covid? Simple mask dont work they only weaken your lungs especially if you wear one all day such as essential workers. In places like sweden where there are no mandates they have the lowest numbers. Ive studied law for ten years and know both federal and idaho state laws so due tell us how this is not against your rights as a citizen to have a choice. If they were really concerned the resort would be shut down because i guarantee no one is social distancing and as i recall in march the surge of covid happend in sun valley at the lodge for wedding in March. This virus is real yes i can tell you that but when i hear about people coming from testing and seeing them in a grocery or public place even with a mask still makes no sense but i digress. Its simple my body my choice.
Hey Anonymous-I dont know about you, but my parents taught me that your fist ends where my nose begins. So if your fist is blowing infected snot in my face, which can kill me, then your ignorance and selfishness is putting me in danger. So..in a civilized society, civilized people tend to take care of one another in the name of your illusory "freedom". NOT" your body, your choice" when it affects my body and my choice to live. Try an Ethics retreat..
Exactly, people that are spreading COVID-19 possibly killing other people with the spread, we have laws that protect us from people knowingly spreading HIV but yet there are no laws from protecting people from people that are actively and knowingly spreading COVID-19,
Stop the treason the crime of betraying one's country, especially by attempting to kill the sovereign or overthrow the government.
If you see someone in Blaine County not wearing a mask indoors please call the sheriff it is a law and they will reinforce it. We need a state wide mask mandate to keep the out of towners from coming here so they don’t need to wear a mask , baldy needs to be shut down they are not following any of us regulations and only spreading Covid as we speak 🗣
I support wearing mask mandate. I don't have any problem with protecting people's lives and myself. Such a small and effective thing to do and I use my FREEDOM power to embrace human kind as a responsible citizen
Folks, if masks aren't effective, would you be ok with your scrub nurse and surgeon not wearing one? Common sense please... There's a reason your mom raised you to cover your mouth when you sneeze. (Wash you hands, too!) Masks take some getting use to, but seriously, compared to COVID (which I have had), they are just not that big of a deal. Let's all just be good neighbors and good people-- Protect your community, your health care workers, and each other with the truly small kindness of wearing a mask. Love thy neighbor. It feels good to do your part.
Just TYPE in Dr. Fauci face mask effectiveness video. There are eight of them. If he said later he made the statement because of mask shortages maybe nothing he said is truthful or he was wrong.
Sure,
For "Another Perspective's" link request. Type in "Dr. Fauci's mask effectiveness video". It is the 46 second one.
I typed what you wrote and did not find the video you referenced Copy and paste the link, please.
Was the video from early on when they didn’t want the public buying up all the available masks leaving health care workers without? I believe Fauci has admitted that.
“When the coronavirus pandemic hit stateside, face masks were strictly recommended as personal protective equipment (PPE) for health care professionals. According to Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert and a key member of the White House coronavirus task force, masks weren't advised to the public from the start because of the anticipated PPE shortages.“
It came up with a bing search. It`s 6-8 months old . He qualifies his talk at the beginning with "Right now.......".
Two Democrats want a mask mandate? Shocking.
The Hill/Harris X poll Aug 2020..18% of registered voters oppose a mask mandate. 82% of registered voters support a national mask mandate, including 93% of Democrats, 85% of Independents, and 66% of Republicans. the Hill
Thank you for supporting my point, Codger.
Please mask up for your safety and others , please help enforce the laws and calling anyone in not wearing a mask in Blaine County indoors
Yeah because unlike president trump democrats actually care if Americans are dying 3,000 yesterday from covid19 2 locals here in Blaine county, I would like to express my greatest sympathy for the people that have lost love ones from COVID-19
On a personal level I wear a mask anty time I am in a store, building ,etc. Look up Dr. Fauci's video talking about how masks don't help and perhaps only one per cent effective in stopping the virus. One per cent is good enough for me but please don't say "science supports it". Our local political class has no authority to make masks mandatory but a store owner does.
That's right, a business owner does...that's why I said No shoes, No pants, No mask, NO SERVICE!
All businesses in Idaho have the right to refuse service to anyone! including the maskless, all stores have the right to call the cops on anarchist who are breaking the law and not wearing a mask ! Maskless people indoors deserve to be in jail for putting everyone’s life in danger, treason = the crime of betraying one's country, especially by attempting to kill the sovereign or overthrow the government.
Martel
Please provide the link for your claim Fauci said masks are only 1% effective!
I found a quote where he said they are not 100% effective
"I'm not going to comment directly about the president, but I am going to comment as the CDC director that face masks, these face masks, are the most important powerful public health tool we have," Redfield said. "And I will continue to appeal for all Americans, all individuals in our country, to embrace these face coverings."Redfield said if Americans wore face masks for several weeks, "we would bring this pandemic under control," because there is scientific evidence they work and they are our "best defense."
"I might even go so far as to say that this face mask is more guaranteed to protect me against COVID than when I take a COVID vaccine, because it may be 70%. And if I don't get an immune response, the vaccine is not going to protect me," Redfield said. "This face mask will."
Several experts contacted by CBS News agree with that assessment: Since vaccines do not guarantee an immune response, masks may be more effective at preventing COVID-19.
The local political class has made the mask mandatory, $100 fine or jail if the laws not followed store owners do not make laws were enforce them, please call the cops on any mask maskless indoors laws being violated in Blaine County
Please show you care about your fellow citizens and wear a mask. Even if you think it’s fake, what’s the harm? Vs if it’s real and you choose to put your comfort above other people’s lives, the harm is someone looses a loved one.
No shoes, No pants, No mask, NO SERVICE!
Good point but we can boycott all local buisnesses who support mandates and run them out of buisness and have albertsons and McDonald's be the only ones left
Boycott all businesses that don’t enforce the mask mandate because they are not enforcing the law, it’s the law that businesses require mask to enter, Albertsons and McDonald’s will be shut down quick if they’re not enforcing the law, i’m going to start going there in enforce the law and if I see people inside without a mask on I will be calling them in for breaking the law , please wear a mask people , Also please get the vaccine as soon as you can
Also there are laws with no mask is worn, 100$ fine or jail for maskless In Blaine County just call them in
OMG people, it’s such a simple thing to do. Wear the dang mask, the life you save may be your own!
I so appreciate all that you both are doing to help your state stay safe during this unprecedented time! Masks should be mandatory!
Like most career politicians, they're posturing and haven't actually done anything. But you see it as "doing" like a good little simpleton :)
The 3 State Representatives voted in by Blaine County, have a D next to their names. Big government, socialist economy, we will protect you, not you protect yourself as you see fit. We make those decisions for you!
What you "see fit" is killing people.
You've seen Daktari. The weaker animals always go. The kids cry when you tie old Tiger to a tree and shoot him, but that's life!
Judy the Chimp was also in another fiction called Lost In Space.
It’s a movie quote, putz.
There are 3 tools available right now to fight covid; social distancing, masks, and lockdowns. Employ 2 of the 3 or soon it will be all 3.
If those were effective tools then CA would be in the green instead of blowing up. If those tools were effective then Blaine County would be better off then the surrounding counties of Twin Falls, Lincoln, or Camas, but all three of those counties have lower cases per 100k than Blaine County. I am 99.8% sure that you just cannot mandate a virus away.
In Blaine County we have mask laws , don’t wear a mask indoors and deal with police 👮♀️ $100 fine or jail . Play stupid games win stupid prices ie fines or jail , but not a big deterrent to the republicans that like being in jail with other men
IF EVERYONE did what they were mandated to do in CA that would be a fair test, but that's not what is occurring. I would say Blaine is far better off than Twin today. Cases/100,000 is historical and not necessarily an accurate picture of the current situation.
We will soon be in another trump lockdown just like the first Trump lockdown
Blaine County has always been a democratic County, the Democrats are protecting you by creating laws that keep you safe, Blaine County citizens if you see someone without a mask on indoors please call the cops on them they are breaking the law ,just like robbing people is against the law
Blaine county 🤥
Many thanks to these fine representatives for following the science to try to keep us safe and keep our economy open!
The definition of insanity is allowing our government to overstep its power and take away people's freedom. Forcing people to wear a mask is discrimination. If masks worked so well then why are numbers increasing here?
Masks are not perfect but do work to diminish the number of cases and severity of disease. Our problem in the valley is that some that live here or visit our valley prefer to not wear masks or don't wear them properly and may also not be physically distancing consistently. These actions infect the rest of us at a higher rate than necessary. This places our community at risk for higher covid numbers that are quite preventable with proper use of masks and proper physical distancing.
Everyone has the freedom to be to be a fool, why would the government limit that. heck they preach it. I do not care what others chose to do, but how is it, leaders telling people to wear a mask discrimination? Ya lost me there.
Please explain how a universal mask mandate is discrimination?
The government forces you to wear a seat belt and pants. I don't see any push back on those items.
If you stay home you can be free from all that overstepping so stay home - let the rest of us try to live our lives as best we can.
You live in the United States. Your freedom is just fine. Wearing a mask is not discrimination, it’s life saving. The only problem I have is why are we trying to save so many stupid people?
JP-Good post-I would add that the reason we want to save so many stupid people is that those stupid people, once sick with the Virus, take up valuable hospital space for the other illnesses that are an emergency-strokes, cancer surgeries, etc..In an ideal world, all those who choose not to wear a mask( like a few on here), have the honor to sign a waiver that if you get sick ( like many of the Red rural state anti-maskers clogging up the hospitals now), you get last priority for a hospital bed..but lack of ICU beds is fake news anyway right??
Masks only work when all people wear them. Do you believe that all people in this valley have been complying with this simple ask? If so, then your question is a valid one. If not, you have your answer.
Because republicans refuse to wear a mask , Redfield said if Americans wore face masks for several weeks, "we would bring this pandemic under control," because there is scientific evidence they work and they are our "best defense."
"I might even go so far as to say that this face mask is more guaranteed to protect me against COVID than when I take a COVID vaccine, because it may be 70%. And if I don't get an immune response, the vaccine is not going to protect me," Redfield said. "This face mask will."
Several experts contacted by CBS News agree with that assessment: Since vaccines do not guarantee an immune response, masks may be more effective at preventing COVID-19. T
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