BOISE, Idaho — Editor's note: The above video discusses whether Idahoans will be able to receive a different booster shot than they received when they were initially vaccinated.
COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations remained steady in Idaho this week. However, the state is currently reporting a record number of pediatric COVID-19 hospitalizations.
The COVID-19 vaccine also continued to be a major topic of discussion ahead of potential approval of a vaccine for people ages 5-11 from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Sadly, Idaho also hit a grim milestone this week: more than 3,000 Idahoans have now died from COVID-19.
For the latest COVID-19 news and updates, check out our interactive graphs and maps.
Here are the top COVID-19 stories this week in Idaho:
Magic Valley hospital sees increase in COVID-related stillbirths
Dr. Stacy Seyb, who specializes in Maternal-Fetal Medicine, said there were 18 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in pregnant women across all St. Luke’s locations in April. September was a record month for the St. Luke's system with 150 confirmed COVID-19 cases in pregnant women.
“If you are pregnant, you are three to five times more likely to be hospitalized and twice as likely to succumb to the process and die,” Seyb said. “The thing about COVID is it causes issues with blood clotting and placentas are very vulnerable to blood clots and I think we can see smaller babies that aren't growing well as well and so those are the types of things we see overall.”
97% of pregnant women who are hospitalized with COVID-19 are not vaccinated, according to Seyb.
North Idaho hospital sees record number of COVID-19 hospitalizations a month into crisis standards of care
Nearly one month ago, North Idaho enacted crisis standards of care and since then, Kootenai Health in Kootenai County has seen a rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations.
On the day crisis standards of care went into effect, Kootenai Health had 113 hospitalizations due to COVID-19, as of Wednesday, Oct. 6 that number climbed to 150, the highest the hospital has seen.
"150 COVID patients is about 75% of our normal pre-COVID bed capacity for med surge admissions,” said Jeremy Evans, Kootenai Health's Chief Regional Operations Officer. “Today, we have got 44 critical care patients and 17 on ventilators. It continues to amaze me how our medical staff, our clinical staff and our leaders, are able to accommodate this surge."
Evans added that around 10 to 20 patients are admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 treatments each day.
Proof of COVID-19 vaccine now required for US immigrant applicants
Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is now required for those applying to immigrate to the United States.
This new rule went into effect on Oct.1, adding the COVID-19 vaccine to the list of vaccines required for anyone applying to become a lawful permanent resident or seeking refugee status. Applicants were already required to be vaccinated against measles, mumps, polio, hepatitis A and B, and other illnesses.
Attorney Betsaida Chavez Garcia with Immigrant Justice Idaho says applicants must submit the report of medical examination and vaccination records, also known as the I-693 Form. The nonprofit provides free and low-cost immigration legal services and education and helps the community stay up to date about changes and updates to immigration policies.
"The immigration medical examination has been a requirement in the past," Chavez Garcia said. "They are just now updating the guidance so that a person has to show proof of the COVID-19 vaccine. This is just adding another vaccine to the list.”
Vaccinated Boise woman now fighting 'long COVID'
From the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, April Zaleski said she has been in for the long haul when it comes to safety measures.
She wore a mask, kept socially distant, and received the Pfizer vaccine in Jan. 2021. But months later, she developed what's known as a "vaccine breakthrough" case when she became sick with COVID in July.
In October, her symptoms appear to be in for the long haul, too.
Zaleski has what's become colloquially known as "long COVID." While she hasn't been contagious for three months, she's left fighting off a whole new fleet of lingering symptoms.
"I tried getting back to normal life, and the fatigue came back with vengeance," Zaleski said. "I have muscle pain, joint pain, my wrist constantly hurts for some reason. All of these things are new. I'm constantly dehydrated. There's just a whole host of random symptoms I didn't have before that I have almost daily. And they get worse the more activity I do. So, if I do a lot during the day, tomorrow they're gonna be a lot worse."
COVID-19 pediatric hospitalizations at record highs, Idaho Dept. of Health and Welfare says
As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations remain steady in the Gem State, medical leaders and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (IDHW) held a press briefing at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday to give an update on the current status of the virus in Idaho.
During the meeting, Idaho medical leaders expressed their concern for COVID-19 infections among children and pregnant women.
IDHW Director Dave Jeppesen said crisis standards of care are still in effect statewide and the number of COVID-19 patients continues to exceed the number of health care resources available, and that's reflected in the hospitalization data.
Included in that hospitalization data is the number of children in Idaho that are currently in the hospital due to COVID-19, which Jeppesen said is the highest it has been since the beginning of the pandemic,
As of Oct. 2, 2021, 15 children are in the hospital due to COVID-19 complications.
Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine trials show promising results for kids ages 5-11
On Sept. 20, 2021, Pfizer published promising findings from a trial involving more than 2,000 children aged five to 11. One week later, the company submitted its data to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in an effort to seek emergency use authorization of its vaccine for children five and older.
“The results of their trial, according to them, are extremely positive. That is these younger children achieve the same level of high antibodies as all of us and the children over age twelve,” said Dr. David Peterman, CEO of Primary Health Medial Group.
In the trial, children were given a lower dosage amount compared to older age groups.
“You try in a sense to titrate or get that exact amount for younger children that will give the normal antibodies, but you don't want such a huge amount that the kids get an overreaction to it,” Peterman added.
The process for the trial was familiar, consisting of two doses being administered 21 days apart. Even when considering the lower dosage, the results were similar to previous trials.
Facts not fear: More on coronavirus
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