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BOISE (AP) — Idaho Gov. Brad Little on Tuesday called in 220 medical workers available through federal programs and mobilized 150 Idaho National Guard soldiers to deal with a surge in unvaccinated COVID-19 patients that is overwhelming the state’s hospitals.
The Republican governor during a remotely held announcement said the moves are a last-ditch effort to avoid activating for the first time statewide crisis standards of care that could force medical professionals to decide who lives and who dies.
The last week has seen about 1,000 newly confirmed coronavirus cases per day, most of them unvaccinated. The number of intensive care unit beds has been well under 100 during that time, and Little said only four were available on Tuesday in the entire state.
“We are dangerously close to activating statewide crisis standards of care — a historic step that means Idahoans in need of healthcare could receive a lesser standard of care or may be turned away altogether,” Little said.
The 220 workers through the federal programs include a 20-person U.S. Department of Defense medical response team deployed to northern Idaho where vaccination rates are among the lowest in the state and where help is most needed.
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Source: eastidahonews.com
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