Idaho Reports

On Wednesday, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported 460 new cases and 5 new deaths due to COVID-19-related causes. That brings the statewide case count to 180,536 and the death toll to 1,962. So far, more than 447,000 people in Idaho have received at least one dose of the vaccine as providers urge others to sign up. Some health districts have opened vaccinations up to anyone age 16 a...

Today, Central District Health and Southeastern Idaho Public Health District announced they have opened up vaccine eligibility to anyone 16 and older. Previously, the Panhandle Health District and North Central District Health had opened up eligibility to the general population, meaning anyone who lives north of Riggins can get vaccinated. In the rest of the state, people 16 and older with one pre...

On Monday, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported 335 new cases of coronavirus and 3 new deaths due to COVID-19. The statewide case count is now 179,763 and the death toll stands at 1,957. Today, Idahoans over age 16 with at least one medical condition are now eligible to be vaccinated. Next Monday, April 5th, eligibility opens for all Idahoans over the age of 16. Residents are encour...

Rep. Barbara Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls, spoke with Idaho Reports about mental health issues and suicide prevention.

On Friday, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported 317 new cases of coronavirus and no new deaths due to COVID-19. The statewide case count is now 179,204 and the death toll stands at 1,954. Vaccines are currently being offered to anyone age 45 and older. On Monday, people ages 16 to 44 may be vaccinated if they have at least one medical condition. As of April 5th, all Idahoans age 16...

On Thursday, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported 343 new cases of coronavirus and 2 new deaths due to COVID-19 related causes. That brings the statewide case count to 178,887 and the death toll to 1,954. Bonneville County currently has the highest 7-day moving average infection rate in the state, with roughly 42 cases per 100,000 people. All Idahoans age 16 and older may now schedu...

This week, we explore the complexities around the legislature’s discussions on suicide prevention. Then, Rep. Laurie Lickley and Sen. David Nelson talk about the Idaho Behavioral Health Council, and whether the legislature is prepared to tackle the wide-ranging problems affecting mental health. But first, a vaccine update: the state is speeding up the timeline.

On Wednesday, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported 425 new cases and 1 new death. That brings the statewide total to 178,544 cases and the death toll to 1,952. All Idahoans over the age of 16 can now schedule their COVID vaccine shot starting April 5th. That’s three weeks earlier than previously scheduled. Governor Brad Little announced the change today. Starting Monday, March 29th,...

On Tuesday, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported 359 new cases of coronavirus and 5 new deaths due to COVID-19-related causes. That brings the statewide total to 178,119 known cases and 1,951 deaths. Gov. Brad Little will make an announcement about vaccines in Idaho at 12 p.m. Mountain Time Wednesday on Idaho Public Television. As of Tuesday, more than 388,040 people in Idaho have r...

On Monday, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported 340 new cases and 5 new deaths. That brings the statewide total to 177,760 known cases, and 1,946 deaths. The Department of Health and Welfare will hold a vaccine briefing with Director Dave Jeppesen, Public Health Administrator Elke Shaw-Tulloch, and Immunization Program Manger Sarah Leeds this Wednesday, March 24 at 12:30 pm Mountain...

On Friday, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported 383 new cases of coronavirus and 3 new deaths due to COVID-19-related causes. The statewide total now stands at 177,185 known cases and 1,941 deaths. The COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Committee voted Friday to include congregate living facilities in vaccine Group 3 regardless of age and medical conditions. That includes people living in do...

On Thursday, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported 341 new cases and 3 new deaths, bringing the statewide total to 176,802 cases and 1,938 deaths. Idaho Falls has been the nation's top hotspot for new coronavirus cases by population over the past two weeks, and Rexburg is close behind in third place, according to the New York Times coronavirus outbreak tracker. The Associated Press r...

This week, an outbreak of COVID-19 at the statehouse has prompted the Legislature to recess until April 6th. Betsy Russell of the Idaho Press and Kevin Richert of Idaho Education News discuss the lead-up and implications for the session. Also, Alex Adams of the Division of Financial Management gives us a run-down of the billions in federal stimulus dollars that Idaho will receive as part of the Am...

On Wednesday, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported 454 new cases and 6 new deaths. That brings the statewide total to 176,461 known cases and 1,935 deaths. Central District Health reports another case of the UK variant identified in Idaho. That makes 8 cases in Idaho with that strain of the virus, which is thought to be more infectious and may be associated with an increased risk of...

On Tuesday, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported 350 new cases and 13 new deaths. That brings the statewide total to 176,007 known cases and 1,929 deaths. This week, the state expects to receive more than 50,000 first doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and 2,500 doses of the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine. The state announced that starting April 12th, Idahoans ages 16-4...

On Monday, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported 421 new cases of coronavirus and 6 new deaths. That brings the statewide total to 175,657 cases and 1,916 deaths. Starting today, Idaho residents ages 55-64 with certain pre-existing conditions are eligible to get vaccinated. Starting March 22nd, all Idahoans in that age group can schedule an appointment. The state is still vaccinating...

On Friday, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported 333 new cases of coronavirus and 3 new deaths. The statewide total stands at 174,943 cases and 1,909 deaths. Though case numbers have been declining, Southwest District Health Department kept Canyon and Owyhee counties in the Yellow health zone because of continuing case loads. Starting Monday, residents 55-65 with one of the designate...

On Thursday, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported 364 new cases of coronavirus and 5 new deaths due to COVID-19 related causes. The statewide total now stands at 174,610 known cases and 1,906 deaths. As of Thursday, more than 304,000 people in Idaho have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine. To pre-register for a vaccination appointment, visit covidvaccine.idaho.gov a...

Health care and education are the two biggest drivers of the budget in the state, and neither is without their share of policy proposals. This week, Layne McInelly, president of the Idaho Education Association, shares his take on the public education budget and a proposal to let school districts and public charters create their own teaching certificates to address teacher shortages. Then, House He...

On Wednesday, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported 456 new cases of coronavirus and 9 new deaths due to COVID-19-related causes. The statewide death toll now stands at 1,901. The state’s test positivity rate was 4.5 percent for the week of February 21 to 27, the most recent dates for which data is available. Providers around the state are continuing to make appointments for Idahoans...

On Tuesday, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported 481 new cases of coronavirus and 2 new deaths due to COVID-19-related causes. The statewide count now stands at 173,790 known cases and 1,892 people dead. More Idahoans in Group 2.3 are eligible for vaccinations starting March 15, but appointments are starting to go unfilled in most health districts, so some parts of the state are ope...

On Monday, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported 378 new cases and 11 new deaths, bringing the statewide total to 173,309 known cases and 1,890 deaths. As of Monday, nearly 167,000 Idahoans were fully vaccinated, and another 117,000 had received the first dose of a two-shot vaccine. The state has launched a new vaccine appointment pre-registration system. At https://covidvaccine.idah...

On Friday, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported 240 new cases and no new deaths, bringing the statewide total to 172,827 known cases and 1,876 deaths. The state launched a new vaccine appointment pre-registration system today. Idahoans can now go to covidvaccine.idaho.gov and register their names, then they will be contacted by a vaccine provider in their area when it’s their turn....

On Thursday, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported 299 new cases and no new deaths, bringing the statewide total to 172,587 known cases and 1,876 deaths. The department has identified 16 coronavirus cases with variants of concern, 12 of which are the strain known as the California variant. Transparency data shows that more than 75 percent of vaccines have been administered in each of...

After a year of uncertainty in education, concerns over content dominate the conversation. This week, lawmakers narrowly voted down a bill for a $6 million federal grant for early childhood education. Sen. Janie Ward-Engelking and Rep. Wendy Horman discuss education budgets and the controversy over social justice content and programs. Then, Kevin Richert of Idaho Education News gives us a run-down...