COVID TASK FORCE MEETING NOTES 23 JULY 2020
HEALTHCARE UPDATE
ST. LUKES MCCALL:
SLHS–statewide: Eighty-four COVID patients as of 23 July 2020. Nineteen in ICU currently with 4,000 test kits received last week. Testing from St. Lukes returned 59 positives out of tests conducted. Six positive cases over the past week. There has been an increase in testing due to demand. The turn-around time for test administration and lab analysis is a few days. The demand for testing is greater than supply right now.
MCCALL CITY COUNCIL UPDATE/ANNOUNCEMENT:
Announcement: Due to McCall’s commitment to stay healthy in response to the COVID-19 Emergency and ensuring that the City’s Business continues, any member of the public can join and listen only to the meeting at 5:00 p.m on July 30th by calling in as follows: Dial 208-634-8900 when asked for the Conference ID enter: 950 877 061#. For the Public to be heard on this matter, the Public is encouraged to make a written public comment regarding the Council’s Consideration of the items below, please submit your comments via the City of McCall’s website at https://www.mccall.id.us/packets prior to NOON on July 30th – No verbal comments will be received during this meeting. Dr. Irvine from St. Luke’s will be presenting information as well.
Sherry will also discuss the Resolution at the County level. Members voted to recommend the City approve an extension and if anyone has special messaging, send to Anette. WCMEDC may be asked to write a letter in support of extending the mask requirement for McCall.
CASCADE MEDICAL CENTER UPDATE:
Ten percent positive test rate. Fourteen positive tests received since June 23rd. Cascade has 2-hour timeframes for COVID testing in the morning and afternoon. Please contact Cascade Medical Center for more information.
TESTING AT RITE AID:
Rite Aid will be testing anyone for COVID-19 with or without symptoms. You must go online to Rite Aid and follow the steps to get your test. If interested follow THIS LINK be sure to log in or sign up and complete the questionnaire prior to your visit. You must have your appointment time and confirmation code for your appointment in order to be tested at their drive thru window.
CASCADE CITY COUNCIL:
Cascade is not currently enforcing a mask mandate. The city is working to promote a video to bring recognition to the issues that local businesses are facing and to have individuals who tested positive participate in it to bring recognition to the issues that they are facing as a community. This may help to create a better atmosphere for business’ and bring to light their ability to refuse service to patrons who would like to visit but do not possess a mask.
MENTAL HEALTH BOARD
Sherry is asking for any health care professionals to share data so that it can be provided to the Mental Health Board for programming. Currently in the process of forming a taskforce to address the rise in child abuse in the area that is possibly related to the stress of COVID. Please pass any information that you think would be helpful on to your local health board.
The board is also addressing the current rise in suicide and actively implementing prevention measures through trainings. If you have any information on how we can come together as a community for suicide prevention, please reach out. More information on classes and trainings will follow soon. YAC is also addressing this issue with children in schools. Central district health and Idaho counseling centers are on board to help students deal with immediate issues and engage in follow-up.
St. Lukes counselors of Idaho are continuing with community and behavioral health advances. They will be having a meeting to come up with a new education source and make it available to the community.
CDH UPDATE:
We have been working strongly with schools on reopening and what that looks like. We would like students to be able to go back to school so kids can have some sort of normalcy. Kudos to our region for the low case numbers even with tourism season in full swing! We are all doing a great job. Schools are on track to open in person with how things are currently going. Any support of the health department is appreciated.
GOVERNMENT/ POLICY/ BUSINESS UPDATE:
Informational handouts have not been finished that pair with Crush the Curve. Move forward with educational piece for communities and business’ about dealing with and overcoming possible exposures or positive individuals to COVID-19. A quick facts sheet for COVID in the workplace is being developed. This will be useful for business’, schools, non-profits, and valuable to anyone who meets in group settings. Once completed sharing throughout the community is encouraged.
A “Mask Focused” video that details a marketing plan will be completed and is scheduled to be published ~ August 3rd. This would give the public the opportunity to participate while illustrating the “ I wear a mask because….” slogan. This may give people chance to resonate with our community and hopefully encourage others to start wearing a mask too.
The volumes of people visiting our Mountain towns seems to be consistent with past years. Hotels are running at lower room capacity; patio dining is still a big aspect of the restaurant experience. The challenges of staffing in summer is still an issue. This is possibly due to COVID or consistent with the way of normal summers.
Lots of folks (Business owners, medical workers, restaurant personnel) are dealing with negative comments and this may be due to the mental health stress due to COVID-19 or to other hardships that are occurring in this time.
The YAC board has discussed hiring Jen Caple to do some training in the community. Contact Suzanne Mack, from the board if you are interested in partnering with YAC.
Questions for support from the community.
It was acknowledged that workers are quitting over verbal abuse from those going into businesses that are requiring masks. City of McCall also noted the City employees are feeling the heat so leadership has implemented a kindness program showing support for staff. How can business’ support their community board or council? They must be able to refuse service and be ok if there is a small loss of sales due to non-mask wearers
How can we start showing support for our community? Especially in this time. Learning how to be grateful. Be kind Challenge? Would you support this? This is the task for this week to bring ideas to the next meeting. Ambassador program?
How to continue to promote positive interactions in the community. #BeKIND Challenge