BOISE, Idaho — Idaho continued to see high numbers of new cases of COVID-19, as well as high numbers of infected patients in the hospital and ICU this week.
However, the totals have dropped a bit since reaching pandemic highs the previous week.
After reaching a peak of 213 patients in the ICU last Friday, the number has dipped to under 200 as of Monday. Hospitalizations are also trending down, from a peak of nearly 800 last week to about 750 this week.
The average number of new case reports are also slightly lower than last week, with the 15-day average dropping from 1236 to 1220 as of Wednesday.
52% of eligible Idahoans are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
See more with our interactive timelines and data tracking COVID in Idaho since the start of the pandemic.
Inside the Saint Alphonsus ICU
For the first time since the start of the pandemic, a KTVB crew was invited to visit the ICU at one of Idaho's largest and most impacted facilities.
Beginning on the third floor, the main intensive care unit (ICU) at Saint Alphonsus in Boise holds 22 beds, the majority of which are filled with COVID-19 positive patients. 20 of those patients are intubated, breathing only by way of a machine.
Like every other unit at Saint Alphonsus, the emergency department has had to create more space; for example, what was once an area for equipment storage now holds six beds for COVID-19 patients.
Other areas of the hospital have also been converted to help treat COVID-19 patients.
Rural hospitals in Idaho struggle to provide care
The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly taken a serious toll on large hospitals, like Saint Alphonsus in Boise. However, the surge in cases and hospitalizations is also impacting hospitals in rural communities.
Smaller hospitals often don't have intensive care unit (ICU) floors and may have as few as one or two ICU beds to treat patients. During the recent spike in hospitalizations, rural hospitals are left scrambling to make room for those in need.
While COVID-19 is no stranger to medical experts at Minidoka Memorial Hospital in Rupert, the Delta variant has different, more aggressive and more contagious characteristics. This is causing the hospital's resources to dwindle daily.
Amid crisis standards of care in Idaho, a Boise woman went to California for surgery
Chelsea Titus has endometriosis and has been unable to receive the necessary surgery to remove an ovary in Idaho.
"It's extremely painful, especially when I'm having a flare, and I'm having a flare right now," Titus said. "Last weekend I was on the phone quite a few times with on-call [St. Luke's] doctors trying to manage my pain and my nausea, and they just kept saying, 'because we're in crisis standards there's nothing the hospitals can do for you.'"
Because of this reality, Titus flew to Palo Alto, California to be seen at the Stand ER on the recommendation of her OBGYN.
Change of heart
Kay Craig, a physical therapist, has worked for St. Luke's Health System for more than 28 years. When St. Luke's announced they would require all employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, she was first in line to fill out a religious exemption.
"I was just kind of skeptical. I didn't want to wear the mask, I didn't want to get vaccinated," Craig said. "I just called on God, and I wanted to walk with him and be obedient. So when the mandate came out, I was again being told what to do and I really didn't feel like God was saying to get it. He said, 'Just wait.'"
Craig's supervisors were supportive of her decision to not get the vaccine for religious reasons. As life carried on, so did the pandemic.
"I didn't believe them when they said it was 98% or 96% unvaccinated and through my own research, it truly is," she said. "I looked in the ICU today and it's 27-year-olds, it's 33-year-olds, it's 60-year-olds. I had another good friend and her brother-in-law died at 40."
At this point, Craig decided she had seen enough and received the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.
Gov. Little defends no issuing vaccine mandate
Throughout the Tuesday call with older Idahoans through AARP Idaho, Little repeatedly defended his decision to not mandate vaccinations, masks, or limits on large gatherings, even as he implored more residents of the state to "do the right thing," put their trust in medical doctors, and get the shot.
"Just as people are not excited about a mandate from the president, they’re probably not much more excited about a mandate from the governor," he said. "Those decisions are made closer to people, the ones where you get the highest compliance."
Healthcare workers threatened
As misinformation about the coronavirus, the vaccine and other treatments spread around the state and country, medical professionals are concerned about how they're able to perform their job. At the same time, a growing concern for their safety and security is becoming a problem.
"It's really disheartening," said Dr. Ashley Carvahlo, a physician working in the Treasure Valley. "We're not doing anything in our own interests, we're doing everything in the patients' interest."
She believes the high emotions are what lead to one family member telling her, "I have a lot of ways to get people to do something, and they're all sitting in my gun safe at home."
"I wasn't nervous for my safety. I was more concerned for the patient at that time because he was in such distress, he was really struggling to breathe, he was very sick," Carvalho said. "I wasn't able to provide the care I needed to give him because of his family."
COVID-19 cases in Idaho children
The number of children and teens in Idaho hospitals for COVID-19 at the end of this summer was five times higher compared to what hospitals were seeing in June, according to data presented Wednesday afternoon in a briefing with doctors representing Saint Alphonsus, St. Luke's and Primary Health.
The number of hospitalized infants and children younger than five years old was ten times higher during the last week of August compared to June.
"That's a scary figure," said Dr. David Peterman, CEO of Primary Health Medical Group, who's also a pediatrician.
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.
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