STORY BY KAREN BOSSICK

GRAPH BY PAUL RIES

Finally!

Blaine County’s risk for coronavirus has improved to “moderate.” If it stays there, the county can begin lifting some restrictions on things like the number of people permitted at public gatherings.

The county’s average new case rate and positivity rate dropped between April 25 and May 1.

The county averaged 6.2 new cases per hypothetical 100,000 residents during the week, compared with 14.9 the week before.

Its positive rate is now 3.08 percent—under the 5 percent rate that health officials say indicates community spread is out of control. It was 5.43 percent the week before.

Three 14-17-year-olds tested positive between April 25 and May 1. There were two new cases among those ages 30-39 and 18-29. There was one new case among those 60-69, as well as those between 50-59 and 40-49.

There were no new cases among those 70 and older and those 13 and younger.

About 65 percent of the county’s residents have been fully vaccinated—up from 55 percent last week.

Those in need of vaccines can avail themselves of St. Luke’s mobile vaccination clinic next week. It will be at:

• The Hunger Coalition in Bellevue from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 to 8 p.m. Monday, May 10.
• The Meadows south of Ketchum from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 11.
• Wood River YMCA in Ketchum from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 12.
• Kiwanis Park near the Balmoral Apartments in Hailey from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 6 pm. Saturday, May 15.

Both one-dose and two-dose vaccine brands will be offered free of charge.

SAN FRANCISCANS EYE HERD IMMUNITY

Over the past seven days San Francisco—home to more than 870,000 people—averaged just 26 new COVID-19 cases a day. Two-thirds of all adults in San Francisco and almost 60 percent of the greater metro area of 4.7 million have received at least one dose of vaccine, and its positive test rate sits at 1.2 percent.

And how will they celebrate as they reopen? With a Godzilla movie marathon at the Balboa Theater, according to NBC News. San Francisco did everything right—its cases peaking on Jan. 4 with 560 when Los Angeles was reporting more than 29,000 new cases.

That said, Los Angeles County recently recorded a couple straight days without a death to COVID with 54 percent of its adults having received at least one dose of vaccine. And the county’s test positivity rate was 0.7 percent just a few days ago.

Health officials say hospitalizations and deaths in places across the nation started to fall dramatically after 40 to 50 percent of the population received their first dose.

WALMART OPENS TO WALK-INS

Walmart is now offering walk-up vaccinations at all of its 27 pharmacies in Idaho. They’re administering the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.