BOISE, Idaho — Gov. Brad Little activated 75 members of the Idaho National Guard on Monday to help respond to the statewide spread of COVID-19.
Little announced the National Guard would assist Primary Health and the Idaho Department of Correction, which are experiencing staffing shortages as many employees are out sick due to COVID-19.
It’s the fourth time during the pandemic that the Idaho National Guard has been deployed.
In August, Little deployed members of the National Guard, secured federal contract workers and received a Department of Defense response team to help short-staffed health care facilities.
“I am proud of our men and women of the Idaho National Guard who have stepped up time and again to help our state and communities get through an unprecedented, challenging time,” Little said in a Monday news release. “The strain on health care, schools, business, and government from the spread of COVID-19 is a reminder that we are not out of the pandemic, and we need to be vigilant about keeping ourselves and our loved ones healthy.”
The step follows a nationwide trend as the National Guard reported that 49 U.S. states and territories had requested its help with COVID-19 as of Jan. 14.
As of Jan. 26, roughly 550 people were hospitalized throughout the Gem State with a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. That’s down from Idaho’s peak of 793 on Sept. 24 but more than double what the state has experienced for most of the pandemic.
The omicron variant has surged throughout Idaho, with the state’s seven-day positivity rate at almost 39% the week of Jan. 16, the latest data available. Last week, the state reactivated crisis standards of care for much of Southern Idaho. Crisis standards allow hospitals to ration care based on likelihood of survival.
Little is also adding 503 additional personnel with a state contract to assist Idaho hospitals that are overwhelmed, according to the release.
Instead of sending National Guard members to local hospitals, Little will send them to Primary Health, a large Treasure Valley health care provider.
The move will not only allow the medical group to test, evaluate and treat more COVID-19-related patients, but to also provide more care for other patients, Primary Health CEO David Peterman told the Idaho Statesman by phone.
“The health of a community as a whole is in danger when resources are lacking and must all be directed toward COVID efforts,” Peterman said. “We welcome this assistance in order to better care for all who need our services.”
Aside from the National Guard, Little also has directed $5.8 million to hospitals to relieve staffing shortages and $5.5 million toward primary and urgent care facilities during the pandemic, according to the release.
Officials also put $8.5 million to help preserve hospital capacity by sending discharged patients to nursing facilities and $1.8 million to expand monoclonal antibody treatment facilities statewide, according to the governor’s office. Little directed $30 million toward expanding COVID-19 testing in Idaho K-12 schools in August.
State officials have also waived licensing fees for retired and inactive nurses so they could reenter the workforce.
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