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Howl-In Toasts Health Care Workers on the Front Lines of Coronavirus Pandemic
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Tuesday, March 31, 2020
 

STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

It’s was a Howl-In. Or, rather, a “Howl for Gratitude” in appreciation of local health care workers.

Over the weekend scores of people from Ketchum to Bellevue flung open their doors and howled, their long loud cries, echoing through the valley.

The coronavirus may have clothed us in face masks. But it certainly hasn’t gagged us from speaking out.

“It was cool, amazing,” said a resident of Old Cutters. “But it did not faze the 35 deer on Red Devil.

Chris Leman noted that even nurses who are currently living next door to his home in West Ketchum, joined in the howling, as well.

“One of them exclaimed, ‘Oh This does my heart good,’ ” he recounted.

Rika Pere sent a blurb to one of the news stations in Boise about the howl-in, which was patterned after nightly howls in Mill Valley, Calif.

“With a dark light being case over 5B due to the virus and our little hot spot, I think it would be wonderful for Idaho to know how we have come together as a pack,” she posted on Facebook. “I was so moved by the number of howls, meek and mighty, that I wanted to share it with the world.”

As the pandemic continued to sweep across America, the number of cases in Blaine County climbed from 115 to 148.

The statewide number of cases is 419 with nine deaths--the latest in Nez Perce and Cassia counties. Ada County's cases eclipsed Blaine County's for the first time with 151 confirmed cases. There, an employee at the Target store on Milwaukee Street has tested positive, as has an employee at Dutch Brothers coffee shop and one at Flying Pie Pizzeria.

Kootenai Canyon now has 27 cases and community spread where health professionals can’t link the case to travel or contact with a specific individual.

Twin Falls County now has five cases and Minidoka and Jerome counties now have their first case. The female in Jerome is believed to have contracted the virus in Blaine County. She was not hospitalized and is isolating at home with mild symptoms. The female in Minidoka likely got the virus out of state.

More than half of Idaho’s 44 counties now have at least one case.

The Department of Health and Welfare says that half of Idaho’s cases so far are between the ages of 18 and 49. Fifty-three percent are female. So far, 17.4 percent have required hospitalization.

Nationally, a third of those ill enough to be hospitalized are between the ages of 20 and 54.

South Central Public Health District is asking for donations of N95 respirator masks, surgical masks and globes, procedure gowns, face shields, goggles, hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes. They should be in new, unopened condition and may be dropped off at any of the health district's offices. Questions? Write scphd@phd5.idaho.gov or call 208-737-1138.

AVALANCHE DANGER;

The avalanche danger is expected to spike to considerable or high today, thanks to a potent spring storm that was supposed to bring a foot of snow and strong winds to the area overnight, particularly in north Blaine County from Galena north. Natural avalanches large enough to bury people will be possible, and large-human triggered slides will become likely.

The local National Forest and BLM lands are open for business but it's not business as usual, forest officials say. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all operations, including search and rescue and emergency services providers. Officials say that now is a terrible time to get caught in an avalanche as professional rescue and medical treatment will be delayed. The healthcare system does not need skiers and snowmobilers injured in avalanches added to their plate.

View www.sawtoothavalanche.com for more information.

IDAHO TIDBITS:

  • In Boise, residents of neighborhoods near Plantation Golf Course have started a 6 p.m. curbside cocktail hour. Neighbors walk their dogs up and down the street—at least six feet apart—chatting with neighbors sitting on their front porches. Some have chatted together more in the past couple nights than they did in the years before.
  • Clearwater Paper Corp., one of the largest toilet paper factories in the world, has given each of its 1,300 employees 36 rolls of toilet paper and 24 rolls of paper towels. The Lewiston plant, a spin-off from Potlatch, was already operating around the clock before the coronavirus toilet paper crisis struck. And, yes, it’s considered an essential business so it’s exempt from Idaho’s new stay-home order.

    And just how much toilet paper do you need? An online toilet paper calculator says 12 rolls of toilet paper in a two-person household should last 57 days.That said Georgia-Pacific, which makes Charmin, estimates staying home 24-7 may increase usage by 40 percent. So better plan for 18 rolls over two weeks.

    And, in case you were wondering, Costco was out of toilet paper again on Monday.

    ELSEWHERE:

  • In Washington State social distancing and postponement of large events seems to be paying off as it appears infected people are passing the virus to just 1.4 other people, rather than 2.7 people as they were earlier in March. Deaths are not rising as fast as other states, as well. But things still remain precarious—there has been a rise in positive test results recently, including cases in rural areas.

    John Lundin, who left Sun Valley a week ago to return to his home in Seattle, reports that Seattle is unrecognizable. Without traffic on the streets or freeways, it is like it was 30 years ago.

    Half of his neighborhood is staying at their second homes elsewhere so it is quiet except for people walking their dogs—and a lot of those are not from his immediate neighborhood.

    Fortunately, History Press just offered to publish another book of his, “History of Ski Jumping in Washington: The Influence of Norwegians on Northwest Skiing.” So that will keep him busy, holed up at home, for a while.

  • In a hopeful sign for the U.S. economy, as shops opened in Wuhan following two months of being trapped at home, one woman said. “I want to jump.I want to revenge shop.”
  • Prada and other high-end Italian fashion houses have stopped manufacturing luxury handbags and perfumes to make white coats, masks and hand sanitizers.

 

~  Today's Topics ~


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