At the Department of Health and Welfare, we have a new and important program called Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD). It is designed to increases awareness of risk-reduction and early-detection methods for Idahoans when it comes to Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias.

Alzheimer’s Disease, a common cause of dementia, is the seventh leading cause of death in Idaho, and the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. There are an estimated 6.2 million Americans, over the age of 65, currently living with this disease.

In 2020, there were 27,000 Idahoans over 65 living with Alzheimer’s. That number is expected to increase to 33,000 by 2025.

Alzheimer’s Disease is a debilitating condition that slowly destroys brain function, resulting in memory loss, behavior changes, and a decline in functional ability. This disease is not only devastating to the person, but also to the family members who provide the person’s financial, physical, and emotional care.

In 2020, Idaho’s Office of Performance Evaluations recommended that Idaho help support families living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Idaho leaders knew they had to focus on this disease, as it is not only devastating to Idaho families, but it also increases the cost of community and residential care, healthcare, and the demand for formal and informal caregiver services.

In November 2021, an alliance of stakeholders (called ADRD Alliance) was formed to represent Idaho. One of the alliance’s pressing goals is to revise the 2013 state plan to help guide Idaho’s direction of addressing ADRD. The alliance charter was adopted this month.

 In 2021, the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) Steering Committee was formed and includes representatives from the Idaho Commission on Aging (ICOA), a geriatrician/subject matter expert from North Idaho, Alzheimer’s Association Greater Idaho Chapter, American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Idaho, Idaho Caregiver Alliance (ICA), and Boise State University’s (BSU) Center for the Study of Aging (CSA). The steering committee provides the ADRD Alliance advice, support, and guidance as they progress with the revision of the 5-year state plan. 

The department’s Division of Public Health also hired a team to make sure information and resources are available to those in Idaho who are caring for Idahoans living with Alzheimer’s Disease, that Idahoans are educated on the benefits of early detection and risk-reduction methods, and that Idaho is working to address ADRD and brain health as a united front. At present, the team is developing strategies for outreach, collaborative efforts, and public health education and awareness campaigns.

Currently, Boise State University is working with the department to assess Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias in Idaho. A few specific areas of focus are rural clinic response to ADRD, how higher educational institutions are preparing healthcare teams to interact with ADRD, and what resources or supports are available or unavailable in our communities across the state. The results of this assessment will be used to develop a five-year plan as well as guide initiatives and programs.

I am grateful for the team at DHW working to support those living with Alzheimer’s Disease and to the Idaho Legislature for their support as we all serve Idahoans.

You can find more information on Alzheimer’s Disease and the department’s program on our website:

• Disease specific - https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/health-wellness/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease-and-related-dementias
• ADRD Alliance - https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/about-dhw/boards-councils-committees/idaho-alzheimers-disease-and-related-dementias-adrd-alliance

I hope you all have a safe and healthy weekend.

As of Feb. 14, there are at least 32,100 outstanding positive lab reports that have not been reviewed by the local public health districts. Many of those lab records will result in new cases of COVID-19 being added to the dashboard. However, some reports are additional test results for a person already counted as a case and some might be for people who do not live in Idaho. Daily new case counts will be updated as those outstanding positive lab reports and recently received lab reports are processed.

Why are there so many outstanding positive lab results?

There are outstanding lab results because of the sheer number of people in Idaho who were testing positive for COVID-19. Lab records must be reviewed by the local public health districts before they can tell if the result represents a new Idaho case and in what Idaho county that case should be assigned.    

Which local public health districts are behind in reviewing the lab results from their counties?

During the week of January 16, more than 38,000 positive lab reports were sent to public health districts in Idaho. During that week, there were periods of time when more than 1,000 lab reports were being sent in a single hour. During the peak, public health districts were receiving the same number of lab reports in a single hour that they had been receiving in a whole day before the Omicron variant surge.

Each public health district has its own way of reviewing lab tests and following up on them. The Department of Health and Welfare is providing technical assistance to some of the public health districts at their request to help them catch up. Here’s a chart showing the number of outstanding positive electronic lab results in each public health district, as of 3 p.m., Monday, February 14.

Do the outstanding results represent cases?

It’s important to note that one positive lab result may not represent one case. Some results might not be for people who live in Idaho, but were tested here. About 5 percent of lab results are for people with two results within one to three days of each other. A person might have an antigen test in the doctor’s office and then have a follow-up PCR test to confirm the result. Some people might have two PCR test results a couple of days apart. This may be because a person needs a test result quickly for travel or attending events and wants to be sure their result arrives in time. It could also be because they took a second test because they are hoping the result of the first test they took is wrong.

And finally, a positive result doesn’t count as a new case if that person has had a positive result less than 90 days ago because they can still test positive for the virus even after they are no longer sick.

That’s why the review by the public health district is so important.

How are the outstanding results being incorporated into the data on the COVID-19 Data Dashboard?

COVID-19 cases  are counted in the new daily totals when they are reported to the state. That means some new daily cases counts will be higher than they would have been if the case had been counted when the positive lab result was received.

However, daily new case counts are only a “snapshot” of the moment when the data are prepared for the state dashboard update published at 5 p.m. each day. There will always be a time delay between when a lab report is received and when a new case is counted  because lab reports are received 24 hours a day. For instance, if a lab report is received at 4 p.m. on a Thursday, it might not be counted as a case on the dashboard until Monday. This was true even before the Omicron variant surge because most public health districts don’t operate overnight and on weekends.

The positive lab results are counted in the percent positivity rates that are available on the Laboratory Testing tab of the dashboard. And even though some public health districts have a large number of positive lab reports to process from the peak in mid-to late January, they have been keeping up with new lab reports for the last two weeks; current case rates on the Weekly Hotspots and Local Trends tab of the dashboard are accurate.  

Dr. Kathryn Turner is the deputy state epidemiologist in the Division of Public Health in the Department of Health and Welfare. She has worked for the department for 17 years and oversees the Epidemiology, Immunization, Food Protection, Communicable Disease Surveillance, and Refugee Health Screening programs for the division, but has been focused almost entirely on Idaho’s pandemic response since February 2020.

Stay up to date with the latest and most accurate information on COVID-19:

• Idaho’s Coronavirus website
• CDC COVID-19 website
• COVID-19 Vaccines for Children and Teens

Follow the Department of Health and Welfare on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for daily updates and information you can trust.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov. 

It is my honor to serve the people of Idaho.

I became the director of Idaho’s Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) in January 2019. I came to state government from the private sector, and I looked forward to a new challenge. I didn’t know what to expect, but I was committed to do my best to help Idahoans live their best lives by supporting DHW employees as they do the real work.

I didn’t know how much it would actually change my life. Working at DHW has brought me closer to the “why” I work. It has shown me that I want my career to have meaning, that I want to serve, and that I want to make a difference in the lives of Idahoans. DHW has allowed me to do those things.

And, then the pandemic came along and challenged me and all DHW employees to innovate how we serve Idahoans, develop a flexible work environment, and provide information to help all Idahoans make informed decisions and cope with the pandemic in their own ways.

The pandemic fundamentally changed the workplace because it changed the “why” of work for many people. There has been a “great resignation” across the United States as employees search for true fulfilment in their lives and their careers. This once-in-a-lifetime event has caused people to pause and take a fresh look at how they want to spend their time and energy when it comes to their careers.

If you are searching for fulfillment in your career, DHW is a place where you can make an impact in the lives of others and the community where you live. It is a place of empathy and compassion – both for our own employees and those we serve.

That brings me back to the “why” of work. In our 2021 employee engagement survey, 92 percent of our employees indicated that the work they do is personally important to them.

The work of our employees means something to them.

Let me share part of a note we received about one of our employees from an Idahoan he served:

“…He’s as tenacious as they come, intelligent, and has never given up on us in more than a year. He was always available to my daughter and I, which in my world was unheard of. His strength and knowledge is incredible in every way imaginable. When it appeared our prospects where dim, he stepped right up and made sure we were safe.”

Our work means something to the people of Idaho, too.

If your “why” is helping Idahoans live their best lives – by connecting people to social, financial, and behavioral health services, or perhaps supporting children and families in our foster care system, or maybe providing support and information during public health crises – working at DHW is a perfect fit for you.

If you want to help, encourage, and lift up the vulnerable citizens of our state, we are your “why.” If you are interested in a career change that will provide meaning to you, and others, please visit our DHW website careers page and see how you can be of service to your neighbors and communities.

I hope you all safe and healthy weekend.

The number of children ages 5-11 years vaccinated against COVID-19 in Idaho remains very low, at less than 15 percent. We understand  parents have questions about the vaccines and how safe they are for their children. Please consider the information below, and talk to your child’s healthcare provider about any additional concerns you might have.

Pfizer and BioNTech have asked the FDA  to amend the emergency use authorization for a COVID-19 vaccine to include children younger than 5 years. It is important for parents of young children to be confident that the vaccines continue to be safe and effective at consistently preventing serious COVID-19 illness, hospitalization, and even death.

Why is the vaccine needed if children have milder symptoms?

While children do generally fare better than adults, they are as likely to be infected with COVID-19 as adults and can:

• Get very sick from COVID-19
• Have both short- and long-term health effects from COVID-19, including long COVID
• Spread COVID-19 to others at home and school and other locations

As of mid-October 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children ages 5 through 11 years have experienced more than 8,300 COVID-19-related hospitalizations and nearly 100 deaths from COVID-19. In fact, according to the CDC, COVID-19 may rank as one of the top 10 causes of death for children ages 5 through 11 years. In Idaho, 334 children have been hospitalized with COVID-19 and two  have died from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

Children who get infected with COVID-19 also can develop serious complications like multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) — a condition where different body parts become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs. Since the pandemic began, more than 2,300 cases of MIS-C have been reported in children ages 5 through 11 years, including 18 in Idaho.

Children with underlying medical conditions are more at risk for severe illness from COVID-19 compared with children without underlying medical conditions.

Vaccines have been shown to prevent COVID-19 infection and its complications in children, including severe illness, hospitalization, and death.  

Are the vaccines safe for children ages 5-11?

COVID-19 vaccines are being monitored for safety with the most comprehensive and intense safety monitoring program in U.S. history. The CDC monitors the safety of all COVID-19 vaccines after they are authorized or approved for use, including the risk of myocarditis in children ages 5 through 11 years.

• Your child may get a COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines, including flu vaccine, at the same time.
• Serious health events after COVID-19 vaccination are rare.

Cases of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the outer lining of the heart) have been reported after Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination of children ages 12–17 years. During clinical trials, no cases of myocarditis occurred in children ages 5 through 11 years who received the COVID-19 vaccine.

• A severe allergic reaction, like anaphylaxis, may happen after any vaccine, including COVID-19 vaccines, but this is rare.
• Your child cannot get COVID-19 infection from any COVID-19 vaccine, including the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Learn more about how mRNA vaccines, like the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, work.
• There is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines cause fertility problems.

When will vaccines be approved for children younger than 5?

Pfizer and BioNTech have started the process to receive emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a COVID-19 vaccine for children 6 months of age and older but younger than 5 years. They submitted data to FDA to support their request on February 1. No one knows for sure how long that will take, but it could be as soon as the end of February.

Here’s a good description of the process: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/02/02/1077376625/covid-vaccine-kids-under-5

Moderna is also currently in clinical trials for a vaccine for children younger than 5 and plans to submit data to the FDA in March.

Will children need a booster?

We don’t know yet if children younger than 5 years will need a booster. We will know more after the FDA finishes reviewing the data for the COVID-19 vaccine for this age group.

A booster is currently recommended for everyone 12 years and older who are fully vaccinated. Boosters are not currently recommended for children ages 5-11. Learn more about staying up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccines: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html

Dr. Christine Hahn is Idaho’s state epidemiologist and the Division of Public Health’s medical director. She is board certified in infectious disease and works in the Family Medicine Residency of Idaho’s tuberculosis clinic twice monthly. She also serves on CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and since late February 2020, has been focusing almost solely on responding to the coronavirus pandemic.

Stay up to date with the latest and most accurate information on COVID-19:

• Idaho’s Coronavirus website
• CDC COVID-19 website
• COVID-19 Vaccines for Children and Teens

Follow the Department of Health and Welfare on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for daily updates and information you can trust.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov. 

Misinformation is circulating in Idaho across social media and other communication channels that could be, unfortunately, harmful to the health of Idahoans.

You cannot catch COVID-19 from the COVID-19 vaccine. It’s impossible, and this information currently circulating on social media is completely false. The false information being shared states that partially vaccinated people are catching COVID-19 from their first dose of the vaccine, and they are filling up the hospitals.

Why is this false information?

1. The COVID-19 vaccine does not contain live virus, so it is impossible for the COVID-19 vaccine to cause someone to have COVID-19. 

So why do people think this is happening? Because it takes a couple of weeks for your immune system to respond to the vaccine after the first dose. During those couple of weeks, it is possible for someone to be exposed and become infected with the virus. If someone does get infected after their first dose, it has nothing to do with the vaccine itself. It is because they were exposed to the virus from another person.

2. The data shows that if you are vaccinated, you are less likely to become severely ill or hospitalized.

In Idaho, 8,033 cases were hospitalized for COVID-19 from Jan. 1, 2021 – Dec. 31, 2021, and:  

• • • 89.6% had no vaccine when they became ill 
    • 1.5% were partially vaccinated (received one dose of a two-dose series) when they became ill 
    • 8.9% were fully vaccinated when they became ill 

COVID-19 research is evolving

One of the reasons that disinformation and misinformation has been rampant during the pandemic is because this is a new virus. New information is being shared as research 

expands, and researchers continue to learn more about this virus. New information often leads to uncertainty, and being human, we like certainty. I would encourage you to look for the truth, follow the science, and listen to reliable sources. There is a lot of misinformation and disinformation across social media and other communications channels, and it is not helpful; it is harmful. 

Who are the reliable sources?

• The Department of Health and Welfare: it is our responsibility and obligation to share accurate and timely information with all Idahoans. You can visit our website, and we also post factual COVID-19 information daily on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
• Trusted healthcare providers: If you have questions, talk to your doctor or another trusted healthcare professional
• Idaho’s Coronavirus Website: see the most current data on cases, vaccine, and more.
• CDC Coronavirus Disease Website

As the information and recommendations evolve and as we continue to learn more, we will share that with you so you can make informed decisions.

I hope you all have a safe and healthy weekend.

Idaho is feeling the effects of a nationwide shortage of blood, driven by a variety of factors. It’s the worst shortage in more than a decade, according to the American Red Cross. The shortage is helping fuel the need for part of the state to be in crisis standards of care.

Why is there a shortage of blood?

There are several reasons, but the main ones are:

• Blood drives have been cancelled because of weather, because of appointment cancellations, and because of staffing challenges.
• People are not giving blood the way they did before the pandemic, presumably because they have concerns about COVID-19.
• Significant staffing shortages are being caused by COVID-19. The volunteers and workers needed to staff a donation drive are facing the same challenges with COVID-19 illnesses themselves and with their families and friends that hospitals’ staff are facing. If someone is exposed or sick with COVID-19, they can’t work at a blood donation clinic. They also can’t work a clinic if they need to stay home with their children because they were exposed, or their schools are closed.
• The staffing shortages affect not only blood collection, but also blood processing, transportation, and the rest of the supply chain needed to process the blood and get it to the hospitals that need it.

What are hospitals doing to conserve blood?

Hospitals are managing with a limited supply of blood and blood products and are implementing blood conservation protocols. They are reporting daily on their blood product inventory and are supporting the sharing of their limited resources as much as possible.

Who can give blood?

There are some requirements blood donors must meet to ensure the health and safety of patients and donors, including feeling well and being in good health, being at least 16 years old, and weighing at least 110 pounds. See a more detailed list of requirements at: https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/how-to-donate/eligibility-requirements.html

Where can I go to give blood?

You can:

• visit https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/dlp/red-cross-national-blood-shortage-crisis.html and search for blood donation drives by Zip code to find one near you
• use the Red Cross Blood Donor app or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to schedule an appointment
• donate through America’s Blood Supply by calling 202-393-5725 or visit americasblood.org

If you schedule an appointment, be sure to keep that appointment as every opening is important.

Elke Shaw-Tulloch is the administrator of the Division of Public Health, and the state’s Public Health Officer. She has worked for the department since 1996 and was promoted to division administrator in 2012.  Since February 2020, she has focused a majority of her time on responding to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Stay up to date with the latest and most accurate information on COVID-19:

• Idaho’s Coronavirus website
• CDC COVID-19 website
• Idaho Rebounds website
• One.Idaho.gov

Follow the Department of Health and Welfare on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for daily updates and information you can trust.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov. 

The Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) exists to serve you. Our mission is to promote the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans.

Although the pandemic has shined a spotlight on the work of the Division of Public Health, DHW is also there when Idahoans have a crisis in their lives, such as a financial hardship or an illness.

In addition to the work and focus on the pandemic – including the vaccine rollout and our commitment to supporting healthcare providers --  the department’s other divisions (Family and Community Services, Behavioral Health, Information and Technology, Licensing & Certification, Management Services, Medicaid, and Welfare) work together every day to provide an array of services for complex social, economic, and health issues.

I am grateful for the work of the DHW employees (almost 3,000) who feel called to serve their neighbors and communities. They show up every day to serve Idahoans, often without fanfare or accolades. They show up even when the work is overwhelming, and even though they would likely have a bigger paycheck if they worked in the private sector. They are the quiet, steady hope that ensures we are here for you. They know their work means something; it’s a cause greater than themselves. They find value in serving other more vulnerable people in our state.

DHW employees are here:

• When you or someone in your family has a substance use disorder or is looking for mental health services
• If you have a child who has a developmental disability
• If you’ve lost your job and need cash assistance, or home or utility assistance, or food assistance
• When low-income families need healthcare services
• When families struggle to provide a safe place for their children.

The Work We Do

Although COVID-19 has dominated the news and, often our healthcare systems, DHW also offers online health and wellness information and resources. We also are here to remind you to check your home for radon and be weary of mosquitos that might carry West Nile Virus. We are here to make sure you have the information you need to make decisions about your health and safety.

If you are looking for birth or marriage records, DHW has been entrusted to secure those for you. If you want to be a foster parent, we can help you through the process. If you have questions about your newborn baby or your elderly parents, we can help there, too.

If you are curious about all of the ways DHW can support you, I would encourage you to visit our website for more in-depth information.

We Work For You

Our goal is to help you when you need us. We are committed to helping Idahoans become self-reliant. Working together, we all are focused on building a better Idaho.

Next week, I will be representing the department’s budgets at the 2022 Idaho Legislature Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee. I am honored to represent our employees and Idahoans. I am grateful for the support from the Legislature as we all work for the people.

All of us who live and work in Idaho are committed to helping Idahoans live their best lives. That is our promise to you.

I hope you all have a safe and healthy weekend.

Masks are a critical part of the tools we have to help keep us healthy during a pandemic with a respiratory pathogen. Here are some common questions about masks that we hope will inspire you to wear one that fits, is comfortable, and provides protection for you and those around you.  

Do masks provide protection against COVID-19?

All masks, when they cover your mouth and nose and are made from quality materials, provide some protection. They keep saliva and other particles, including viruses, from becoming airborne as you breathe and speak and potentially infecting others. They can also help protect you from inhaling viruses, germs, and other particles from others.

All masks provide more protection when more people in a group wear them.

Source: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists

When should I wear a mask?

In general, masks that fit, provide protection, and are comfortable should be worn when you are sick, others around you are sick, and when you don’t know the status of others in a group, such as when you are in a public place, especially if there is less than 6 feet between you and others.

In general, you do not need to wear masks when you’re outdoors. In areas of substantial or high transmission (which is all of Idaho at this time), you might choose to wear a mask outdoors when in sustained close contact with other people, particularly if:

• You or someone you live with has a weakened immune system or is at increased risk for severe disease.
• You are not up to date on COVID-19 vaccines or live with someone who is not up to date on COVID-19 vaccines.

Wearing a mask over your nose and mouth is required on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and while indoors at U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and train stations. Travelers are not required to wear a mask in outdoor areas like on open deck areas of a ferry or the uncovered top deck of a bus.

Which mask is the best?

The best mask is one that you can wear comfortably and has a good fit to your face. That said, in general cloth masks provide the least amount of protection for the shortest amount of time, while specialized filtering masks such as N95s provide the most protection for the longest amount of time. Medical masks and KN95 masks provide more protection than cloth masks, but not as much as N95s.

Who should wear a mask?

Everyone, including children older than 2, should wear a mask in indoor public places if they:

• Are not up to date on COVID-19 vaccines
• Live in an area with substantial or high transmission
• Have a weakened immune system

Elke Shaw-Tulloch is the administrator of the Division of Public Health, and the state’s Public Health Officer. She has worked for the department since 1996 and was promoted to division administrator in 2012.  Since February 2020, she has focused a majority of her time on responding to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Stay up to date with the latest and most accurate information on COVID-19:

• Idaho’s Coronavirus website
• CDC COVID-19 website
• Idaho Rebounds website
• One.Idaho.gov

Follow the Department of Health and Welfare on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for daily updates and information you can trust.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov. 

The COVID-19 data in Idaho is telling a consistent story when it comes to what is happening with vaccinated vs. unvaccinated Idahoans. The gap between COVID-19 cases in the vaccinated vs. unvaccinated is growing. Below are charts that outline what is happening in Idaho:

Do vaccinated Idahoans get COVID-19, and more specifically, the very contagious Omicron variant?

Sometimes. If you are vaccinated, the COVID-19 vaccination lowers the possibility you might get infected with the virus if you are exposed. If you are vaccinated when infected, it radically reduces your chances of severe illness, hospitalization, or death. The data proves that.

During December 15, 2021, through January 15, 2022, when the Omicron variant was circulating, fully vaccinated Idahoans were four times less likely to be hospitalized for their illness than those who were not fully vaccinated. Among those who had also received their boosters, the likelihood of hospitalization was even lower.

The pandemic is making us all very tired

The ongoing pandemic is exhausting, and unfortunately, it’s not over. We continue to see the effects of a very, very contagious Omicron variant. As of Jan. 15, the percentage of those who have a positive COVID-19 test was 34.1 percent statewide. This is the highest testing percent positivity we have seen during the entire pandemic, to date. Some healthcare providers are reporting testing positivity rates of over 60 percent.

In addition, on Wednesday, Jan. 19, there were 4,537 new cases of COVID-19 reported, which sets the record for the most cases of any day during the entire pandemic. And, there are approximately 33,500 positive tests results that we know of that have yet to be reported as cases because they need to be reviewed by the local public health districts first.

Many people are using the idea of breakthrough cases as an argument against getting the COVID-19 vaccine. No vaccine is 100 percent effective, but in Idaho, only about 3.3 percent of fully vaccinated people have gotten COVID-19. Those are pretty good odds that you will not get COVID-19 if you are fully vaccinated. And we know booster doses increase protection even more against Omicron.

When it comes to COVID-19 hospitalizations in Idaho since May 1, 2021 (until Jan. 15, 2022):

• 5,061 patients were not fully vaccinated (86.5 percent), and 792 were vaccinated (13.5 percent)
• 896 ICU (intensive care unit) patients were not fully vaccinated, and 103 (10.3 percent) were fully vaccinated

As I said earlier, the data is outlining what is happening in Idaho when it comes to COVID-19. Cases will most likely increase, due to Omicron, before we see a decline. But vaccines protect you from the worst outcomes and the booster dose helps to reinforce this.

Let’s keep ourselves and others safe from COVID-19

I know you are tired of COVID-19. We all are, but the only way to get us to a post-pandemic way of life is to do what we can to protect ourselves and others:

• Get vaccinated.
• If you have been vaccinated, get a booster. This will help protect you from getting COVID-19 in the first place, and it also helps you avoid going to the hospital if you do catch COVID-19 after being fully vaccinated and helps protect against Omicron if you are boosted.
• Choose to wear a quality mask. Properly worn masks protect others and you.
• Physically distance when in a public place.
• Wash your hands often.
• Stay home if you are sick.

There is a lot of misinformation and disinformation out there, especially on social media. Some of it can actually harm those who might follow it. I would urge you to trust the science, trust your doctor and your healthcare professionals, and trust the public health experts. Our only goal is to promote and protect the health of Idahoans so we can get back to a normal way of living.

 I hope you all have a safe and healthy weekend.

As Omicron surges across the country and in Idaho, many of us are wondering how many more surges or waves we’ll have to endure, and when the pandemic will be considered over. There is no firm answer to that. The virus that causes COVID-19 will continue to mutate as it is spread among people throughout the world.

Getting vaccinated and boosted with COVID-19 vaccine helps to slow the spread and give the virus fewer chances to mutate, in addition to providing protection from serious illness, hospitalization, and death. People who are vaccinated and boosted don’t spread much virus because they are less likely to become infected in the first place.

Since it appears likely the virus that causes COVID-19 is here to stay in some form, the hope is that it will mutate into a variant that causes only mild illness, and that it becomes a seasonal virus with patterns that are predictable, similar to seasonal flu or the common cold. But this is not certain if or when it will occur.

Both cold and influenza viruses, and many other respiratory viruses, have distinct patterns. For example, flu becomes much more common in colder weather and peaks sometime from January to March. The common cold also becomes much more common in colder weather, and it decreases circulation in the summer months. While flu can be very serious and cause death for some people, most people survive without treatment or hospitalization. In addition, a large portion of the population gets influenza vaccinations each year, helping to control spread and severe illness. The common cold can feel terrible, but people tend to recover at home with minimal treatment.

The virus that causes COVID-19 has not settled into a predictable pattern yet, and it continues to spread and mutate. We don’t know if other variants will appear, but it is likely we will see more variants causing waves of increasing cases, hospitalizations, and sadly, even deaths until the virus mutates itself into a less dangerous form, or more people have immunity.

Dr. Christine Hahn is Idaho’s state epidemiologist and the Division of Public Health’s medical director. She is board certified in infectious disease and works in the Family Medicine Residency of Idaho’s tuberculosis clinic twice monthly. She also serves on CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and since late February 2020, has been focusing almost solely on responding to the coronavirus pandemic.

Stay up to date with the latest and most accurate information on COVID-19:

• Idaho’s Coronavirus website
• CDC COVID-19 website
• Idaho Rebounds website
• One.Idaho.gov

Follow the Department of Health and Welfare on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for daily updates and information you can trust.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.