From Mayor Lauren McLean
Boiseans, from the beginning, have risen to the challenge of confronting COVID-19 head on. Our hospitals, urgent care facilities and medical centers are overwhelmed. The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare has expanded crisis standards of care for the entire State of Idaho. This is a statewide crisis, and I’m calling on the state to act.
Since March of 2020, Boise has taken action to protect the health of our residents. There are now unprecedented numbers of unvaccinated Idahoans in our Boise hospitals. Despite all of the sacrifices Boiseans have made to protect our kids, our parents, our community, we find ourselves now having to sacrifice our healthcare.
It did not have to be this way. We did everything we could to prevent this situation. Boiseans did what we needed to do. This is a state problem, a state crisis. We made tough calls, our schools made tough choices, events were cancelled. Boiseans have sacrificed for our neighbors, our children and our parents. We have led. Two-thirds of our residents are vaccinated. We wear masks. We support recommendations that limit exposure to this deadly virus. I am in almost daily conversations with leaders in our healthcare system, I am monitoring this situation and I stand ready to help our healthcare system and the staff we rely on.
Our hospitals have asked for regional and state action, without response. Our healthcare workers are exhausted caring for the unvaccinated inundating our facilities from throughout this region and state. And now they’ll be asked to do more, and to make unprecedented, heart-wrenching decisions. Boiseans will no longer receive usual standards of care because our hospitals and urgent care facilities are overrun. We as Boiseans are asking the state to step in because this virus knows no city borders and we are seeing the devastating impacts of this surge in our local medical centers.
For those who are hesitant to get a vaccine, the community is here to help. Please get your questions answered, your concerns addressed and take the much needed step to protect yourselves and our city. We have additional COVID-19 information and resources listed on the City of Boise website.
I look forward to addressing the community during this important time at my virtual State of the City Address (September 16) at 4 p.m. You can watch live online this afternoon.