BOISE, Idaho —
We’re tracking the latest on confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, in Idaho. The latest coronavirus news can be found in our live blog or confirmed case details are in our interactive map of COVID-19 cases.
We are also regularly updating our list of school closures as well as other building, venue and event closures and cancellations. See our complete COVID-19 coverage here.
The State of Idaho coronavirus website also has the latest info on cases and restrictions.
Below are coronavirus resources available throughout the Treasure Valley. We’re doing our best to update this with new resources but recognize this is far from a comprehensive list of all available resources. If you have a suggestion for something we should add, e-mail web@ktvb.com.
Idaho COVID-19 latest: Latest news | Map of confirmed Idaho cases | Stay-at-home order details | COVID-19 resources | Testing sites | Employers hiring | Essential business list | Closings | School closings | Help nonprofits| Golf info | Full COVID-19 coverage
Para obtener esta información en español, haga clic aquí para verla en el sitio web de United Way.
COVID-19 testing
Criteria for testing:
Onset of a new fever (above 100.4), cough and shortness of breath
The person has traveled to an area with a lot of COVID-19 or been around a confirmed COVID-19 case. There must be an exposure to the virus to meet the criteria for testing, such as close contact (within 6 feet) or an extended period of time, such as at least 10 minutes.
Drive-up stations in the Treasure Valley:
Saint Alphonsus in Meridian
St. Alphonsus Garrity Campus Clinic, 1150 N. Sister Catherine Way in Nampa
St. Luke’s Meridian (All St. Luke's locations open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday)
St. Luke's Plaza campus building, 800 E. Park Blvd. in Boise
St. Luke's Twin Falls
St. Luke's Wood River Valley
Two Saltzer Health facilities in Nampa: 9850 W. St. Luke's Drive; 215 E. Hawaii Ave. (South entrance); Phone: 208-463-3000, ext. 7.
Primary Health: 5601 W. Chinden, Garden City, Phone: 208-809-2865; Meridian Crossroads, 3280 E. Lanark Dr., Phone: 208-895-8670; Nampa, 700 Caldwell Blvd., Phone: 208-466-6567. Patients must call ahead for a same-day appointment.
Drive-up testing for coronavirus coming to Vale, Ore. from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m on May 14.
The Malheur County COVID-19 Taskforce will offer coronavirus testing to individuals who meet certain criteria on Thursday. Testing will be available at the Wadleigh Park located at 300 Main St. South in Vale, Ore.
Individuals will qualify for testing if they have two or more COVID-19 related symptoms, like shortness of breath and a fever, or one symptom and one risk factor, such as being over the age of 60 or having a BMI over 40.
Phone numbers:
Saint Alphonsus triage line: 208-302-2683
St. Luke’s triage line: 208-381-9500
Saltzer Health: 208-463-3000
What are COVID-19 symptoms?
The symptoms of coronavirus are similar to the flu or colds. Symptoms include a fever, cough, and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, according to Idaho’s COVID-19 FAQ page.
The severity of symptoms ranges significantly. Some cases are very mild with symptoms similar to the common cold, and some cases are more like severe pneumonia that require hospitalization. Most deaths have been reported in older adults who had other health conditions, according to DOH.
Symptoms may appear as soon as two days after being exposed to the coronavirus or as long as 14 days.
Crush the Curve testing
Crush the Curve Idaho is conducting antibody and COVID-19 testing in the Treasure Valley.
A testing site is currently set up at Meridian Crossing. There, health professionals can administer a nose swab test to see if people have COVID-19. Those who believe they're already had the virus can get a small blood draw test to check for antibodies.
Widespread testing could help businesses and companies in the fight against the spread of the virus on the job site.
COVID-19 testing and antibody testing is available to anyone at select Saltzer Health Medical Group testing sites. To be tested, you must first take the assessment at the Crush the Curve website.
For under $100, anyone who has symptoms, or is sick, can schedule online and be tested for COVID-19 by medical partners in the Treasure Valley and around the state. They will also work with your insurance, and help with the cost for those who can't afford it may be available through Crush the Curve Idaho.
Grocery store info, including times for at-risk individuals
Albertsons
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 to 9 a.m.: The stores will be open to senior citizens or other at-risk members of the community, such as pregnant women or those with a compromised immune system. Check local stores for exact times.
Boise Co-op
Monday through Sunday, 8 to 9 a.m.: Shopping hour for those aged 60 and above. Bring an ID for age verification.
Regular daily store hours to all are now 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Costco
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 to 9 a.m.: The store will be open exclusively for people over the age of 60 and those who have physical disabilities.
Fred Meyer
Starting March 23, stores will be open Monday through Thursday from 7 to 8 a.m. for seniors and other high-risk individuals.
Stores are also limiting the number of cold, flu and sanitary products.
Starting on Tuesday, April 7, all Fred Meyers stores will limit store capacity by 50% and allow one person for every 120 square feet.
Target
Wednesdays at opening time: Target has reserved the first hour of shopping each Wednesday for vulnerable guests, including elderly and those with underlying health concerns.
Stores have limits on products like hand sanitizer, toilet paper and disinfectant wipe.
Walmart
Tuesdays before each store opens: Beginning March 24, every Walmart will have an hour-long senior (age 60 and up) shopping time one hour before the store opens.
More Walmart stores will adjust general operating hours from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Walmart pharmacies and Vision Centers will also be open during this time.
Each store will have limits for customers in certain categories including paper products, milk, eggs, cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, water, diapers, wipes, formula and baby food.
Whole Foods
Every day, one hour before opening: Whole Foods stores will be open to those age 60 and older one hour before each store opens to the general public.
All stores will also close two hours early to give staff time to sanitize and restock. During that time, the store will be open for pickup and Prime delivery orders.
Winco
Regular daily store hours, open to all, are currently 7 a.m. to midnight. Check the WinCo site for updates.
Idaho Governor: Don't hoard groceries, stores will remain open and be restocked
Idaho. Gov. Brad Little reminded Idahoans to not hoard groceries and household products. "America’s supply chain is the strongest in the world. Grocery stores will stay open and will be continually restocked," Little said. "Shop for your needs and no more. You are potentially harming your neighbor when you take more than you need."
Resources for children
Boise School District
Boise School District continues to expand its Grab-and-Go meal service for children who need meals while school is closed.
There are now nine sites where children who need nutritious meals can go.
Free sack meals will be available for drive-up meal service from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the following locations:
- Garfield Elementary (1914 S Broadway Ave) - in front of school
- Grace Jordan Elementary (6411 W Fairfield Ave) - in front of school
- Hawthorne Elementary (2401 W Targee St) - at the bus loop entrance off Targee Street
- Hillcrest Elementary (2045 S Pond St) - in front of school
- Koelsch Elementary (2015 N Curtis Rd.) - in front of school
- Morley Nelson Elementary (7701 W Northview St) - at the student drop off loop by Community Center
- Taft Elementary (3722 N Anderson St) - in front of school
- Whitney Elementary (1609 S Owyhee St) - at the bus loop drop off near the Community Center entrance
- Whittier Elementary (301 N 29th St) - at the bus loop entrance
School buses will deliver meals to the following school areas between approximately 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Click on the school links below to see the updated (April 6) bus routes and the estimated serve times at each stop:
Any child ages 1-18 (including toddlers) can receive one breakfast and one lunch per day to eat at home. No identification or proof of school enrollment is required, but the child must be present to receive a meal.
Meals are not to be eaten on site. There will be no public access inside the schools. Schools and bus stops are not places to socialize or congregate at this time. Meals will be served on a first-come-first-served basis. Locations and times may change.
If your child requires special meal accommodations, please contact the BSD office at 208-854-4067 to make arrangements.
Boys & Girls Clubs
All Boys & Girls Clubs of Ada County locations are staying open. Parents should only drop off their kids if they have to go to work. The club also launched a new “Grab and Go” meal service at three locations. Read our full story about the Boys & Girls Clubs here.
They are in dire need of funding from the community to keep club operations and meal services running. You can give now to help them through these difficult times.
Caldwell School District
Caldwell School District offers free "grab and go" meals for children age 1-18 weekdays from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at:
- Sacajawea Elementary School
- Van Buren Elementary School
- Lincoln Elementary School
- Lewis & Clark Elementary School
- Caldwell High School
The child does not have to attend the school to receive a meal.
Oasis Food Center offers free "grab and go" meals for children age 1-18 weekdays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at:
- Evergreen Mobile
- Hardy Estates
- Indian Creek Mobile
- Hawthorne Park
- Foote Park
- Farmway Village
Families should stay in their cars and drive-thru as meals will be served curbside. Walk-ups are also welcome and will have a separate line with individuals keeping 6 feet apart. Meals should not be eaten on site. Meals are not available for adults.
The Kuna School District will offer free meals for children weekdays starting Friday, March 20 until schools reopen.
Children age 18 or younger will receive a grab and go bag with breakfast and lunch, from 11 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday at:
• Ross Elementary, 610 N School Ave,
• Reed Elementary, 1670 Linder Road
• Kuna High School, 637 E Deer Flat Road
Children do not need to be enrolled in the Kuna School District to receive a free meal, but they need to be present to receive it.
Nampa School District
The Nampa School District expanded their meals to students on April 6, to include lunch and breakfast for the following day.
Children ages 1 to 18, or their parent or guardian, can pick up a grab-and-go sack lunch at the following school sites from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday:
- East Valley Middle School, 4085 E. Greenhurst Rd., Nampa, ID 83686
- West Middle School, 28 S. Midland Blvd., Nampa, ID 83651
- South Middle School, 229 W. Greenhurst Road, Nampa, ID 83686
- Central Elementary, 1415 5th St., Nampa, ID 83651
- Centennial Elementary, 522 Mason Lane, Nampa, ID 83686
- Endeavor Elementary, 2824 E. Victory Rd., Nampa, ID 83687
- Franklin D Roosevelt Elementary, 1901 W. Roosevelt Ave., Nampa, ID 83686
- Greenhurst Elementary, 1701 Discovery Place, Nampa, ID 83686
- Iowa Elementary, 626 W. Iowa Ave., Nampa, ID 83686
- Park Ridge Elementary, 3313 Parkridge Dr., Nampa, ID 83687
- Ronald Reagan Elementary, 3400 Southside Blvd., Nampa, ID 83686
- Sherman Elementary, 1521 E. Sherman Ave., Nampa, ID 83686
- Snake River Elementary, 500 Stampede Dr., Nampa, ID 83687
- Willow Creek Elementary, 198 N. Elementary Ln., Nampa, ID 83651
The school district is also delivering meals via school buses to several stops around the community. You can see where those busses stop here.
Vallivue School District
Vallivue is serving grab-and-go meals to kids under the age of 18. The lunch and "next day" breakfast meals will be served 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at West Canyon Elementary, Vallivue High School, Lakevue Elementary, Skyway Elementary, Sage Valley Middle School, and Birch Elementary.
The food will be handed out via curbside pickup, and all children do not have to be present to get a meal. Walk-up delivery will also be available.
West Ada School District
With schools being out, West Ada School District is helping feed kids.
Kids ages 1 through 18 can get a free breakfast and lunch combo meal.
The following sites are providing meals:
- Barbara Morgan
- Centennial High School
- Chaparral Elementary
- Chief Joseph Elementary
- Desert Sage Elementary
- Frontier Elementary
- Heritage Middle School
- Lewis and Clark Middle
- Mary McPherson
- McMillan Elementary
- Meridian Middle
- Meridian High School
- Peregrine Elementary
- Renaissance High School
- Silver Sage Elementary
- Spalding Elementary
- Star Elementary
- Ustick Elementary
Kids have to be present in order to receive a meal.
You can pick it up Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in a drive-thru lane in front of the schools starting on March 20.
There's a list of many Idaho school feeding sites on the Idaho Foodbank's website.
Resources for parents with children at home
As families adapt to the health crisis, Idaho Public Television is supporting them by providing some of their free, trusted digital resources that can help keep children learning even while schools are closed.
Resources include streaming stories, games on PBS Kids, a daily newsletter, and talking about STEM or literacy activities that can be done at home. For more information, click here.
Restaurant information
- Boise Mayor Lauren McLean ordered all restaurants and bars to go to takeout only beginning March 20.
- The city of Eagle website has a list of restaurants and catering services offering delivery and pick-up.
Food pantries
See a complete list of Idaho food banks and an Idaho school feeding maps site on the Idaho Foodbank website.
The Idaho Foodbank is open and operating Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry in Boise– Open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Open Fridays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Open Saturdays 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Food will be handed out via a drive-through system to limit contact.
Vineyard Food Pantry in Garden City – Open Wednesdays and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The Meridian Food Bank has switched to drive-through service. It’s open Mondays and Wednesdays from noon to 6 p.m. and open Thursdays from noon to 4 p.m.
Friendship Food Pantry at the First Presbyterian Church in Boise is open Mondays from 5-7 p.m. Food boxes will be handed out to drivers in the alley behind the church.
Star Food Bank has one-time drive-up food bank from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 19. They are located at 10775 State Highway in front of Star City Hall. The foodbank distributes every Thursday and serves families and others in need in Emmett, Star, Middleton and part of Eagle.
Free childcare
Salvation Army in Boise expands free emergency childcare to all frontline workers
The Salvation Army in Boise is expanding childcare services to any frontline workers. There are currently 16 kids enrolled in the program and they have room to serve additional families in need.
To register for Child Care services please visit salarmy.us/boisechildcare. For questions please call 208-433-4427.
Coronavirus hotlines
The City of Eagle set up a hotline for at-risk groups looking for resources amid coronavirus precautions. The hotline is 208-489-8763 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The hotline is to help those who need help with shopping for groceries and other resources.
Blaine County has established a COVID-19 Information Hotline for the public. The number is 208-788-5504. It is open to the public seeking information related to local COVID-19 response, current guidance from Blaine County or other agencies and available community resources. The line will be staffed from 8a.m. to 8p.m. MDT seven days a week. Messages can be left at any time and calls will be returned as soon as possible.
The City of Boise's resource center is also available via telephone at (208) 608-7000. The city has published a COVID-19 resource guide in eight languages.
At KTVB, we’re focusing our news coverage on the facts and not the fear around the virus. To see our full coverage, visit our coronavirus section, here: www.ktvb.com/coronavirus.
Facts not fear: More on coronavirus
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