>>> HELLO AND WELCOME TO THIS SPECIAL EPISODE OF "IDAHO REPORTS."

I'M MELIST AAES AND TONIGHT WE'RE BRINGING YOU THE LATEST ON THE STATEWIDE HOSPITAL CRISIS CAUSED BY THE RECENT SURGE IN COVID-19 CASES.

WE HAVE HEALTHCARE REPRESENTATIVES JOINING US TONIGHT.

SO NO METAL WHERE YOU'RE -- NO MATTER WHERE YOU'RE WATCHING FROM, YOU'LL HAVE THE INFORMATION.

I'M JOINED BY JAMES CORBET.

DR. JOSHUA KERN, CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER AT SLOWX IN MAGIC VALLEY, AND CAN BE ROBERT SCOGGINS, AT KOOTENAI HEALTH IN CORD ALAIN.

I HAVE TO NOTE -- COURTA LANE -- KORDA LANE.

WE'RE SITTING DISTANCE TRYING TO BE AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE.

WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE STATE'S RESPONSE TO THE RECENT SURGE.

GOVERNOR BRAD LITTLE HAS ANNOUNCED THE STATE IS SETTING UP THREE MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY TREATMENT CENTERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

ONE IN EASTERN IDAHO, ONE IN TREASURE VALLEY, AND ONE IN NORTH IDAHO.

THE HOSPITAL SITUATION IS THE MOST CRITICAL.

GOVERNOR LITTLE HAS ALSO DIRECTED $10 MILLION IN FUNDS TO CONVERT MORE FACE IN RESPONSIBILITIES -- IN HOSPITALS TO PROVIDE CARE AS WELL AS ADDRESS STAFFING SHORTAGES AND TRITION PATIENTS -- TRANSITION PATIENTS OUT OF HOSPITALS.

WHAT IS MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY TREATMENT IS WHY IS IT SO CRITICAL?

>> YEAH.

THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

WE'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT ABOUT MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS.

BUT THEY'VE BEEN AVAILABLE FOR QUITE A WHILE.

THE ANTIBODIES ARE NOT WHERE WE WANT TO START PREVENTING SEVERE COVID.

WE'D PREFER PEOPLE GET VACCINATED, WEAR THE MASKS, STAY APART, AND DON'T GET ENFETTED.

BUT IF SOMEONE GETS INFECTED, SO IF YOU'RE 55 YEARS AND OLD AND YOU HAVE CHRONIC LUNG DISEAZ OR -- DISEASE OR YOU HAVE HEART DISEASE, OR YOU HAVE CANCER, OR IF YOU'RE 65 AND OLDER, YOU MIGHT QUALIFY FOR THIS TREATMENT IF YOU GET SICK.

WE JUST RECENTLY SAW THAT.

THAT MADE THE NEWS WHERE THE GOVERNOR OF TEXAS RECEIVED THOSE TREATMENTS.

AND YOU MAY RECALL BACK IN THE DAY, PRESIDENT TRUMP RECEIVED THIS TYPE OF TREATMENT.

SO IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING WHEN PEOPLE HAVE AVAILABLE TO THEM, THEY UTILIZE IT BECAUSE THESE ANTIBODIES, WHICH AREN'T THE NATURAL ANTIBODIES THAT WE'D MAKE AS THE RESULT OF AN INNEXT, BUT SPECIAL ANTIBODIES THAT ARE DESIGNED TO ATTACK A CERTAIN PART OF THE VIRUS.

THEY CAN HELP PREVENT PEOPLE LANDING IN THE HOSPITAL.

SO THEY'RE AN IMPORTANT STEP FOR PEOPLE AT HIGH RISK AND WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP PEOPLE OUT OF THE HOSPITAL AND KEEP THE HOSPITALS FROM FILLING UP.

>> SO IT'S AN EARLY FREMONT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE -- TREATMENT FOR PEOPLE IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THE INFECTION, BUT IT ISN'T AS EARLY AS A VACCINATION.

>> CORRECT.

>> I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THE LAILEST STATEWIDE PICTURE.

>> OUR CASES ARE GOING UP.

AND MUCH MORE SHARPLY THAN THEY DID LAST SUMMER AND FALL.

YESTERDAY I LOOKED BACK AT THE SAME DATE, AUGUST 26th.

A YEAR AGO, AND BOY, INSTEAD OF A COW CASES, WE HAD -- THOUSAND CASES, WE HAD ABOUT 400.

SO COMPARED TO A YEAR AGO, WE'RE IN WORST SHAPE.

WE HAVE MORE CASES GOING INTO THE FALL.

AND THERE'S RISING MORE STEEPLY, PUTTING INCREDIBLE PLEASURE ON OUR HOSPITALS.

SCHOOLS -- PRESSURE ON OUR HOSPITALS.

SCHOOLS ARE SEARING TO OPEN AND WITH THE GATE, I THINK -- DELTA VARIANT, I THINK WE'RE ALL VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS.

>> THERE'S THE NUMBER OF CASES, BUT IF ANYTHING, MORE CRITICALLY THAN THAT, THERE ARE THE NUMBER OF HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE ICU.

LAST WEEK WE SAW A RECORD NUMBER OF PATIENTS IN THE ICU STATEWIDE AT 140.

IS THERE ANY WAY THAT THAT NUMBER IS GOING TO START GOING DOWN AT THIS POINT?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK MOST OF US DON'T SEE IT YET.

WE'RE ENCOURAGED THAT THERE IS AN INCREASE IN VACCINATIONS.

SO WE KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE DECIDED THAT THEY'VE WAITED LONG ENOUGH AND THEY'RE READY TO GET VACCINATED.

SO WE'RE ENCOURAGED BY THAT.

BUT THE VACCINE TAKES -- IT TAKES TWO DOSES.

THREE OR FOUR WEEKS APART.

AND THEN A COUPLE WEEKS AFTER THAT BEFORE YOU'RE REALLY STRONGLY PROTECTED.

SO WE DON'T EXPECT THAT TO TURN OUR NUMBERS AROUND IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

AND WE ARE ALSO WORRIED THAT WE WILL SEE A RISE WITH PEOPLE GOING BACK TO -- GOING BACK TO SCHOOL, GOING BACK TO OTHER WORK SITUATIONS.

>> DR. SCOGGINS, I WANTED TO BRING YOU INTO THE CONVERSATION.

YOU'RE JOINING US TODAY FROM CORDELANE.

WHAT'S THE SITUATION IN YOUR HOSPITAL?

>> SO WE HAD ABOUT -- I CHECKED BEFORE I GOT ON -- LOGGED ON BUT WE HAVE 86 PATIENTS IN-HOUSE WITH COVID, ABOUT 34 IN OUR ICU.

IT'S DOWN SLIGHTLY FROM EARLIER TODAY, WHERE WE HAD ABOUT 95.

OUR HOSPITAL REALLY ONLY HAS ABOUT 200 MEDICAL SURGICAL BEDS.

SO NEARLY HALF OF THE BEDS IN THE HOSPITAL HAVE COVID.

WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK ON EXPANSION, MAKING SINGLE ROOMS, DOUBLE ROOMS, WHERE POSSIBLE.

AND WE HAVE NOW TAKEN A CONFERENCE CENTER AND PUT -- BUILT OUT 22 TEMPORARY BEDS AS A FIELD HOSPITAL OVER THERE IN CASE WE NEED TO USE IT.

WE HAVEN'T MOVED IN THERE YET, BUT WE ARE PLANNING THAT WE MAY NEED TO DO THAT AS SOON AS THIS WEEKEND OR NEXT WEEK IF WE CONTINUE TO SEE THE PATIENTS COME IN.

>> VUFORTD TO SET UP A FIELD HOSPITAL -- HAVE YOU EVER HAD TO SET UP A FIELD HOSPITAL TYPE SITUATION BEFORE?

>> NO.

I HAVE -- I WAS TRAINING IN THE SOUTH WHEN KATRINA CAME IN.

AND WAS INVOLVED IN THE EVACUATION OF PATIENTS FROM NEW ORLEANS AND THEY FLEW IN AND -- BUT NEVER SEEN OR BEEN A PART OF A FIELD HOOT.

I'VE NEVER -- HOSPITAL.

I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS.

I'VE BEEN DOING PULL MON YEAH CRITICAL -- PULMONARY CRITICAL CARE FOR PROBABLY 15 YEARS, AND I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS MANY PATIENTS AT ONE TIME IN THE ICU.

THE WORST FLU SEASON I'VE SEEN, WE PROBABLY HAD EIGHT TO 10 PATIENTS IN THE ICU.

>> HOW MANY OF THOSE PATIENTS IN YOUR ICU RIGHT NOW ARE UNVACCINATED?

>> VAST MAJORITY OF THEM.

I WOULD SAY IN THE ICU, I CHECKED THE OTHER DAY, WE ONLY HAD PROBABLY THREE OR FOUR OF THE PATIENTS THAT WERE VACCINATED AT MAXIMUM.

AND THOSE PATIENTS FOR THE MOST PART ARE TRANSPLANT PATIENTS, CANCER PATIENTS GETTING ON SOME SORT OF THERAPY.

THERE ARE OCCASIONALLY ONE, MAYBE TWO PATIENTS, THAT WE HAVE IN THE HOSPITAL THAT ARE TRULY VACCINATED AND FULLY VACCINATED AND PROBABLY WERE NONRESPONDERS TO THE VACCINE.

BUT IT'S -- VAST MAJORITY ARE UNVACCINATED.

>> HOW IS THAT AFFECTING OTHER AREAS OF HEALTHCARE IN YOUR HOSPITAL SYSTEM?

ARE YOU ABLE TO ACCEPT TRANSFERS?

HOW IS IT AFFECTING OTHER PROCEDURES?

>> WELL, WE'VE PRETTY MUCH SET DOWN TRANSFERS FROM OUTSIDE FACILITY INCLUDING ALL THE CRITICAL ACCESS HOSPITALS UNFORTUNATELY THAT USUALLY RELY ON US AS A REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER TO TAKE PATIENTS.

AND WE'VE ALSO SEVERELY LIMITED OUR PROCEDURES THAT WE NORMALLY DO, SUCH AS HEART SURGERY, NEUROSURGERY.

IT EVEN AFFECTS OUR TRAUMA ABILITY TO TAKE CARE OF TRAUMAS.

WE HAVE HAD DIFFICULTY IN TRANSFERRING PATIENTS TO OTHER AREAS, SPOKANE IS OUR MAIN TRANSFER CENTER.

WHEN WE'RE FULL, THEY'RE FULL.

AND SO WE'VE TRANSFERRED A PATIENT YESTERDAY TO PORTLAND WHO IS A COVID-POSITIVE PATIENT WHO WAS YOUNG, 45 YEARS OLD, AND WAS IN NEED OF EKMO.

AND YOU KNOW, WE WAITED TWO DAYS TO GET THAT BED AND THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME WE WERE ABLE TO TRANSFER A COVID PATIENT IN WEEKS.

>> NOW, DR. KERN, I WANTED TO BRING YOU INTO THE CONVERSATION.

THE SITUATION IN MAGIC VALLEY RIGHT NOW AT YOUR HOSPITALS?

>> YEAH.

THE SITUATION AT MAGIC VALLEY IS NOT TOO DISSIMILAR.

WE HAVE ROUGHLY 50 PATIENTS IN THE HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW FROM COVID.

ABOUT A QUARTER OF THOSE -- ABOUT A QUARTER OF THOSE ARE IN THE ICU.

WE HAVE -- IT'S ACTUALLY DOWN A LITTLE BIT TODAY.

THE NUMBERS IMPROVED SLIGHTLY.

AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS ANYTIME WE FREE UP A BED, WE GET A TRANSFER IN ALMOST IMMEDIATELY FROM OUTSIDE EITHER CRITICAL ACCESS HOSPITALS OR EVEN -- WE'VE TAKEN SOME FROM FURTHER OUTLYING AREAS.

WE -- IT JUST SEEMS TO BE A REVOLVING DOOR ANYTIME YOU CLEAR OUT SPACE.

THE OTHER THING I'LL SAY IS WE ALREADY ARE HAVING PATIENTS ON THE REGULAR FLOOR THAT WE WOULD TYPICALLY HAVE IN THE ICU.

AND I KNOW WE'LL BE TALKING MORE ABOUT THAT LATER, BUT WE'RE ALREADY -- WE'RE ALREADY HAVING TO KIND OF CHANGE HOW WE DELIVER CARE TO JUST DEAL WITH THE CRUSH OF PATIENTS.

>> SO WE'RE NOT AT -- WE'VE TALKED A LOT IN RECENT WEEKS ABOUT CRISIS STANDARDS OF CAREER.

AND -- CARE.

AND WE HADN'T TALKED ABOUT THAT SINCE DECEMBER WHEN WE WERE GETTING PRETTY CLOSE TO DECLARING THE CRISIS STANDARDS OF CARE.

WE AVOIDED THAT SITUATION.

IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IDAHO IS GOING TO BE SO LUCKY THIS TIME.

REAL QUICK, CAN YOU BRIEFLY EXPLAIN WHAT CRISIS STANDARDS OF CARE ARE?

I MEAN, I THINK ON A CERTAIN LEVEL WHEN PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT CRISIS STANDARDS OF CARE, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THE STATE DECLARATION THAT OCCURS AND IS LAID OUT IN STATE POLICY AROUND REQUESTING CRISIS STANDARDS OF CARE AND HAVING THE STATE THEN DECLARE THAT HAS OCCURRED.

I THINK IT'S MORE NUANCED THAN THAT, BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE ALREADY KIND OF ABUTTING INTO THIS CRISIS STANDARDS OF CARE AT THE BEDSIDE ON A PRETTY REGULAR BASIS THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE HOSPITALS THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH HERE IN SOUTHERN IDAHO.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WHAT ARE CALLED STANDARD CARE CONTINGENCY CARE, AND THEN CRISIS CARE.

AND I WOULD SAY THAT NOSE OF THE HOSPITALS ARE IN THIS GRAY ZONE BETWEEN CRISIS AND CONTINGENCY ALREADY.

AND IT JUST HAS TO DO WITH PUSHING NURSING RATIOS AND CHANGING HOW YOU'RE TAKING CARE OF ICU PATIENTS, EVEN THE MOST ILL WHO CAPITAL GIVE ONE THE -- CAN'T GIVE ONE TO ONE NURSING CARE, WHICH IS NOT A GOOD SITUATION TO BE.

SO I WANT TO -- I THINK THAT'S ONE WAY OF TALKING ABOUT THE NUANCE HERE.

BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IT AT THE STATE LEVEL, WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT HOSPITAL WOULD REQUEST THIS CRISIS STANDARDS OF CARE AND A COMMITTEE HAS TO MEET AND ASSESS WHAT THE RESOURCES ARE IN THE ENTIRETY OF THE STATE AND THEN WOULD AGREE TO IMPLEMENT THIS, WHICH GIVES SOME PROTECTION, LEGAL PROTECTIONS AND POTENTIALLY OPENS UP THE STATE TO PROVIDE MORE RESOURCES.

BUT I'M NOT SURE IT ACTUALLY CHANGES THAT MUCH AT THE BEDSIDE AFTER THAT OCCURS.

>> SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE BEDSIDE IN THE.

HO, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT -- HOSPITAL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RATIONING RESOURCES AND REALONG INDICATING OR -- REALLOCATING OR RESIPING -- REASSIGNING TO PATIENTS WITH A HIGHER LIKELIHOOD OF SURVIVAL?

>> I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY HAS TO MAKE THAT SEVERE A DECISION.

IT'S MORE ABOUT HAVING WHAT YOU COULD CONSIDER TO BE STANDARD OR EVEN AT TIMES PUSHING YOUR NURSING RATIOS AND GOING BEYOND THAT.

AND WE KNOW THAT WHEN THAT HAPPENS, IT INCREASES THE RISK OF MAKING OTHER ERRINGS, HAVING POOR DOCUMENTATION, AND THAT'S WHERE -- WHEN WE GET THIS FULL, IT PUTS ALL OF OUR PATIENTS NOT JUST THE COVID PATIENTS, AND THAT'S PART OF WHY YOU START PULLING LEVERS LIKE DECREASING SURGICAL CASES, WHICH WE'VE ALSO DONE HERE IN MAGIC VALLEY, AND OUR TREASURE VALLEY HOSPITALS, TO FREE UP BEDS AND FREE UP STAFF.

YOU CAN NOW MOVE ON.

R. STAFF TO OTHER AREAS -- MOVE ON.

R. STAFF TO OTHER -- O.R.

STAFF TO TAKE CARE OF OTHER PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITAL.

>> WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR HOSPITAL, HOW IS THIS HAVING REAL IMPLICATIONS FOR PATIENTS WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE COVID?

>> YEAH.

I MEAN, I THINK THAT I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING DR. KERN SAID.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TRANSITIONED TO TEAM NURSING IN MANY AREAS OF THE HOSPITAL WHERE WE'VE PULLED NURSES FROM THE O.R.

AND THE PACKU TO PROVIDE CARE IN THE ICU AND EVEN NOW ON THE FLOORS.

BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH NURSING STAFF.

SO YOU HAVE AN ICU NURSE THAT IS THIS IS HELPING OTHER NURSES TAKING CARE OF CRITICAL ILL PATIENTS, WHICH THEY NORMALLY DON'T THAT.

AND THAT INCREASES THE RISK OF HAVING PROBLEMS.

THEY'RE NOT USED TO DOING IT.

THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU NORMALLY DO.

WE ALSO -- WE ONLY HAVE 26 ICU BEDS NORMALLY IN OUR HOSPITAL.

AND WE'RE CURRENTLY OPERATING 30, PLUS BECAUSE WE'VE TAKEN SPACES THAT ARE NOT NORMAL ICU BEDS ROOMS AND CONVERTED THEM INTO ICUs.

SO WE'RE OPERATING IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE HOSPITAL.

AND YOU KNOW, THAT ALL INCREASES RISK AND WE'RE NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE THE SAME STANDARDS THAT WE NORMALLY DO.

WE'RE TRYING OUR BEST TO TAKE CARE OF EVERY PATIENT, PROVIDE ALL THE CARE THAT THREAD NORMALLY GET.

IT'S -- THAT THEY'D NORMALLY GET.

IT'S DIFFERENT.

I THINK WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB SO FAR, BUT AT SOME POINT YOU RUN OUT OF BEDS, YOU RUN OUT OF VENTILATORS, YOU RUN OUT OF DIFFERENT RESOURCES, YOU KNOW.

WE HAD TO GET A BIGGER BACKUP TANK FOR OUR OXYGEN THIS WEEK BECAUSE WE WERE RUNNING THROUGH IT SO FAST.

SO THESE ARE THINGS I'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED IN MY CAREER.

SO -- >> JAMES, I WANTED TO ASK HOW THINGS ARE GOING IN EASTERN IDAHO.

YOU'RE NOT HAVING AS BIG A SURGE AS OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE RIGHT NOW.

ARE YOU STILL SEEING THE RIPPLE EFFECTS OF THE STRAIN ON THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM?

>> YEAH.

WE CERTAINLY ARE.

FROM OUR -- I THINK DR. KERN AND DR. SCOGGINS DO A JOB OF PAINTING NOT JUST THE RESOURCES THAT WE THINK OF THE PHYSICAL SPACES SOMETIMES, BUT ALSO REALLY THE STAFFING RESOURCES.

AND I THINK WE SEE THAT RIPPLE EFFECT IN OUR HOSPITALS HERE LOCALLY.

THERE'S CERTAINLY REGIONAL HOSPITALS AS WELL AND TAKING CARE OF INDIVIDUALS NOT JUST INSIDE OF OUR AREA, BUT FOR WESTERN WYOMING AND SOUTHERN MONTANA AND SOME OF THESE SMALLER CRITICAL ACCESSES HOSPITALS THAT WE'RE -- THAT THEY MENTIONED.

SO CERTAINLY OUR HOSPITALS HAVE SEEN THAT RIPPLE EFFECT.

I THINK IT'S OWE A -- YOU KNOW, VERY BASIS DAY BY DAY AND SOMETIMES HOUR BY HOUR AS WE CAN ALL ATTEST TO ON WHERE THOSE HOSPITALS ARE AT.

AND THEY WANT TO DO THEIR BEST JOB OF TAKING CARE.

PATIENTS AS BEST THEY CAN -- CARE OF THE PATIENTS AS BEST THEY CAN.

THE REAL CONCERN IS IF WE'RE KIND OF FULL TO THE TOP OF OUR CAPACITY AND MAYBE EVEN PUSHING THAT AT TIMES, IS THERE THAT CAPACITY IF THINGS HAPPEN, OUT ON OUR ROADWAYS, WITH LABOR DAY COMING UP AND SOME OF THESE TRAVEL AREAS, AND I THINK THAT'S THE REAL CONCERN.

WE DON'T WANT TO GET TO THE POSITION WHERE SOMETHING BUMPS OVER THOSE LINES IN A REAL QUICK MANNER.

>> IN EASTERN IDAHO HOE, IN IDAHO FALLS ESPECIALLY, YOU SEE PATIENTS FROM ACROSS THAT REGION, FROM -- YOU GET SEARCHES FROM YELLOWSTONE TRAVELERS GETTING INJURED AND NORMAL SUMMER AND LABOR DAY ACTIVITIES THAT LAND PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITAL.

ARE YOU PREPARING FOR A COVID SURGE AS YOU'RE WATCHING WHAT'S HAPPENING ACROSS THE REGION?

>> I THINK WE'RE ALWAYS PREPARING FOR A SURGE, RIGHT.

THAT'S WHY WE PRACTICE AND LOOK AT THOSE THINGS.

FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE CERTAINLY LOOKING AT BEING ABLE TO RESPOND AND EDUCATING AND INFORMING ALL THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT COME DOWN WITH COVID.

AND ARE TESTED AND SEEK INSTRUCTION FROM US.

THAT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT SURGE.

AND IN TURN, I KNOW THAT OUR HOSPITALS ARE ALSO LOOKING AT WAYS TO BE ABLE TO SET UP, NOT ONLY THOSE RESOURCES, BUT ALSO STAFFINGTON ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE SURGE IF -- STAFFING TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE SURGE IF THAT DOES HAPPEN.

>> DR. HAHN, STATEWIDE AT THIS POINT, WE'VE BEEN INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE.

WE'VE SEEN NO PEDIATRIC DEATHS.

WE'VE SEEN SOME CHILDREN HOSPITALIZED.

THAT -- IS THAT NUMBER INCREASING LATELY?

>> YES, WE ARE SEEING -- COMPARED TO THE MORE SEEN YOURS, OR WINTER SUNNING -- SENIORS, THE WINTER SUNNING, IT WAS ALMOST ALL THE SENIORS.

BUT THIS TIME IT'S CHANGED.

WE ARE SEEING SOME RELATIVELY FEWER CASES IN SENIORS IN HOSPITALIZATIONS AND MORE CHILDRN.

NOT LIKE WE'RE SEEING IN SOME OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.

BUT WE ARE CONCERNED.

WITH SCHOOL OPENING JUST LAST WEEK AND THIS WEEK, AND KIDS GOING BACK TO SCHOOL, WE ARE CONCERNED WE'RE GOING TO SEE JUST HAVING MORE KIDS INFECTED MEANS THERE WILL BE SOME OF THEM THAT PROBABLY GET SEVERELY ILL.

SO WE'RE VERY WORRIED WITH -- ABOUT THAT.

>> AS YOU EXPECT IT TO INCREASE IN COMING WEEKS AS SCHOOLS RE-OPEN, WE KNOW THAT -- THAT THE ST. LUKE'S IN TREASURE VALLEY HAS 11 PEDIATRIC ICU BEDS.

OTHER AREAS OF THE STATE TRANSFER ELSEWHERE.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT THE STATE IS DOING TO KIND OF PREPARE FOR THIS POTENTIAL INCREASE?

>> YEAH.

WELL, I THINK THE MAIN THING THAT WE'RE DOING IN PUBLIC HEALTH IS TRYING TO REALLY EDUCATE PARENTS ABOUT HOW TO PROTECT THEIR CHILDREN.

WE KNOW SOME CHILDREN ARE TOO YOUNG TO BE VACCINATED, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF CHILDREN 12 AND ABOVE WHO ARE NOT VACCINATED.

I THINK NUMBER ONE, THAT -- AND I KNOW JAMES AT THE DISTRICT HEALTH DEPARTMENT, ALL THE DISTRICT HEALTH DEPARTMENTS ARE FOCUSING VERY MUCH ON TRYING TO WORK WITH PARENTS AND WITH PEDIATRICIANS, FAMILY DOCTORS, TO TRY TO ENCOURAGE THEM, GIVE THEM INFORMATION TO VACCINATE THEIR CHILDREN.

THAT'S HUGE.

NEXT OF COURSE IS THE MASKING, WHICH I KNOW IS VERY CONTROVERSIAL.

WE'VE BEEN SEEING THE NEWS FROM DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS AROUND THE STATE.

MY CHILDREN GO TO BOISE HIGH AND THEY ARE -- HAVE A MANDATORY MASK SITUATION.

AND I HAVE ASKED MY KIDS HOW MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY WEAR THE MASKS AND HEAR LIKE, ALL OF THEM.

-- AND THEY'RE LIKE, ALL OF THEM.

BUT I KNOW THAT'S NOT THE NORM.

AND THERE ARE MANY OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHERE THERE'S VERY LOW MASK USAGE.

SO IN PUBLIC HEALTH WE'RE TRYING TO EDUCATE ABOUT THE REASON WE ENCOURAGING MASKS IN SCHOOLS AND PROMOTING THAT IS BECAUSE WE WANT KIDS TO STAY IN SCHOOL.

MANY OF US ARE PARENTS.

WE UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF EDUCATION AND ESPECIALLY OF IN-PERSON EDUCATION.

WE SAW OUR CHILDREN SUFFER LAST YEAR.

>> YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT VACCINE MESSAGING AND WHAT'S WORKING RIGHT NOW.

BUT BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I GET MOST OFTEN FROM OUR VIEWERS IS ANY NEWS ON WHEN A VACCINE FOR CHILDREN YOU KNOW -- YOUNGER THAN 12 MIGHT BE APPROVED FOR EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION?

>> YEAH, THERE'S DEFINITELY NO DATE YET.

THE FDA THE END TO BE -- THEY -- TENDS TO BE VERY -- THEY DON'T LIKE TO PROMISE AND HAVE PEOPLE DISAPPOINTED OR ANGRY.

AND THEY HAVE RECENTLY ASKED THE MANUFACTURERS FOR MORE DATA.

THEY WANT TO BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL IF THESE YOUNGER CHILDREN.

MAKE SURE THEY HAVE GOOD SAFETY DEAFT -- DATA, SO THEY HAVE ASKED THEM TO TAKE MORE TIME AND STUDY MORE KIDS.

SO I THINK THAT WE HAD HOPED BY THIS FALL WE'D HAVE THAT VACCINE.

I THINK IT'S LOOKING MORE LIKE WINTER, EARLY SPRING.

>> AND I KNOW THAT DR. SCOTT, AS YOU MEDGESSED EARLIER -- MENTIONED EARLIER, THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF YOUR PATIENTS WHO ARE CRITICALLY ILL ARE UNVACCINATED.

IS THAT MESSAGING GRETTING THROUGH -- GETTING THROUGH TO PEOPLE WHO MAYBE WEREN'T THE HECK NO, I'M NEVER GOING TO GET VACCINATED GROUP OF PEOPLE, BUT THE PEOPLE WHO WERE IN THAT WAIT AND SEE CROWD?

OR THE PEOPLE WHO -- FOR WHOM IT WAS A LOWER PRIORITY?

ARE YOU STARTING TO SEE THAT MESSAGE GET THROUGH TO PEOPLE?

>> YOU KNOW, I -- UP HERE IN NORTH IDAHO, WE HAVEN'T SEEN A LOT OUTSIDE OF THE HOSPITAL.

I TAKE CARE OF PATIENTS IN THE ICU WITH COVID AND I GET THE QUESTION A LOT.

WHEN CAN I GET THE VACCINE WHEN IT GET -- WHEN I GET BETTER.

BAP THUS DOUGH WANT TO DO THIS AGAIN -- BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO DO THIS AGAIN.

AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL LAGGING BEHIND I THINK QUITE A BIT UP HERE IN VACCINATION.

DESPITE EDUCATION AND -- YOU KNOW, I STILL -- I TRY TO DO AS MUCH EDUCATION AS I CAN TO GET PEOPLE TO GET VACCINATED.

BUT I -- I THINK WE JUST GOT TO KEEP EDUCATING AND ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO GET THE VACCINE.

THEY'RE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE.

>> JAISMTION, I WANTED -- JAMES, I WANTED TO ASK YOU IN PUBLIC HEALTH, IS THERE ANY MESSAGING THAT YOU'RE SEEING IS REALLY STARTING TO STICK WITH THE WAIT-AND-SEE CROWD?

>> WELL, I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY IMPORTANT IN WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO I THINK IN ALL LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH DISTRICTS AND DR. SCOGGINS MENTIONED THIS, IS MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY'RE AT.

AND EDUCATE AND INFORM THEM SO WHAT THEY'RE SEEING AND WHAT WHATE THIS WANT TO KNOW.

SO THE MORE INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS WE CAN HAVE WITH INDIVIDUALS HAVE SHOWN THE MOST EFFECTIVE.

NOW, THAT'S TIME-CONSUMING, TOO.

BUT WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE WELL-INFORMED AND WELL-EDUCATED WHEN THEY MAKE THE DECISION.

>> DR. KERN, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION LATELY ABOUT THREE HEALTH SYSTEMS IN IDAHO INCLUDING ST. LUKE'S, MANDATING COVID-19 VACCINES FOR EMPLOYEES WITH A SEPTEMBER DEADLINE.

THAT NEWS CAME OUT IN JULY BEFORE THIS REALLY, REALLY BIG SURGE.

AND BEFORE WE REALLY STARTED TO SEE THE STAFFING STRESSES ON THE SYSTEM.

HAS THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSION WITHIN ST. LUKE'S ABOUT DELAYING THAT SEPTEMBER TED LINE TO -- DEADLINE TO HELP EASE THE ALREADY STRESSED STAFFING THAT YOU'RE SEEING?

>> I DON'T THINK THERE'S BEEN ANY CONVERSATION ABOUT COMING BACK FROM THAT DECISION.

WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT THE CORE OF OUR DECISION IS, IT'S ABOUT FEELING CONFIDENT IN THE VACCINE AND DEALING LIKE THAT IS THE BEST WAY TO PROTECT YOUR PLEASE.

AND AT THE CORE OF ALL OF OUR DECISION MAKING THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC, IT'S HOW TO KEEP OUR EMPLOYEES SAFE AND OUR PATIENTS SAFE.

AND WE JUST -- WE THINK THAT VACCINATION IS THE BEST WAY TO DO THOSE THINGS UNEQUIVOCALLY.

AND THE SURGE IF ANYTHING, I THINK SOLIDIFIES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TAKING CARE OF COACHED PATIENTS FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE MORE AND MORE, ALMOST NO NURSE OR PROVIDER IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO AVOID THAT REALITY.

AND PROTECTING THEM FROM THE VIRUS WITH AN EFFECTIVE AND SAFE VACCINE IS JUST -- IT'S NOT REALLY ON THE TABLE FOR US TO CHANGE THAT DECISION.

>> DR. HAHN, ANOTHER QUESTION WE FREQUENTLY SEE IS HOW BUSINESSES AND HOSPITALS ARE ABLE TO MANDATE VACCINATION.

WHEN SOME OF THE VACCINES HAVEN'T RECEIVED FULL FDA APPROVAL, THE -- PFIZER WAS JUST GIVEN THAT APPROVAL LAST WEEK.

DO WE KNOW THAT IT'S SAFE AND EFFECTIVE WHEN IT'S UNDER EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION?

>> YEAH.

I UNDERSTAND PEOPLE'S CONCERN AND QUESTIONS THE THAT.

I'M NO LAWYER, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING FROM READING THE DECISIONS IS THAT IT IS AT LEAST MOST JUDGMENTS WHEN THIS HAS GONE TO COURT, IS THAT IT IS INDEED LEGAL.

THAT EMPLOYERS CAN DO THIS.

EVEN MORE ARIMAGE -- FOR AN EMERGENCY USE VACCINE.

THE QUESTION ABOUT HOW DO WE KNOW IT'S SAFE, THANKFULLY WITH PFIZER, THEY HAVE FULLY LICENSED THAT VACCINE, SO IF THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE, THEY COULD CERTAINLY SEEK OUT PFIZER.

ON THE OTHER HAND, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO KNOW WE'VE KNOWN MORE ABOUT THIS SCREERKS BEFORE IT EVER GOS LICENSED BECAUSE OF THE LARGE NUMBER OF THE PEOPLE GETTING THE VACCINE SO QUICKLY.

WE HAVE DATA ON LITERALLY MILLIONS OF AMERICANS.

I THINK THAT PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE SOME CONFIDENCE THAT THERE'S A LOT MORE KNOWN.

OTHER VACCINES MIGHT HAVE STUDIES WITH JUST A FEW THOUSANDS PEOPLE BEFORE THEY'RE LICENSED.

>> WE HAVE A COUPLE MINUTES LEFT.

I WANTED TO ASK, I'LL START WITH YOU, DR. SCOGGINS, HOW ARE YOUR HEALTHCARE WORKERS HOLDING UP AT COMMUNITY HEALTH?

>> I THINK YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS PRETTY CONTINUOUSLY FOR ALMOST A YEAR AND A HALF.

AND THEY'RE PRETTY TIRED.

I THINK OUR NURSES, ESPECIALLY IN THE ICU, WE'VE HAD A COVID UNIT FOR -- A DEDICATED COVID UNIT FOR OVER A YEAR.

THEY'RE IN CONTINUOUS PTE ON THAT UNIT.

WE'VE NEVER SHUT IT DOWN.

WE'VE NEVER BEEN WITHOUT COVID PATIENTS IN THAT UNIT AND THEY'RE TIRED.

'THINK THEY'RE ALSO FRUSTRATED THAT -- THAT THEY SEE A WAY WE CAN STOP THIS.

THEY SEE THAT PEOPLE COULD GET VACCINATED.

AND THAT'S FRUSTRATING.

AND WHEN YOU'RE TAKING CARE OF THESE PATIENTS.

THEY CONTINUE TO SHOW UP TO WORK EVERY TAY AND WORK HARD.

AND YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GETTING THE JOB DONE.

I'M REALLY PROUD OF OUR STAFF AND HOW THEY'VE RESPONDED AND I ENJOY WORKING WITH THEM EVERY DAY.

>> DR. KERN, HOW ARE YOUR EMPLOYEES HOLDING UP?

>> SAME STORY FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.

IT'S -- IT'S EXHAUSTING.

AND JUST THE -- SEEING THE NEWS AND SEEING THE NUMBERS GOING UP, AND THE DREAD OF YOU KNOW, WORKING EXTRA SHIFTS, PUSHING NURSING RATIOS.

THE THING I FOCUS ON IS HOT IS THE MORAL INJURY THAT -- A LOT IS THE MORAL INJURY THAT COMES WITH PROVIDING SUBOPTIMAL CARE AND KNOWING YOU CAN'T GIVE THE SAME LEVEL OF ATTENTION, TIME, AND RESPECT THAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY GIVE BECAUSE OF THE CRUSH OF PATIENTS.

AND NOT -- THAT I THINK IS THE WORST PART OF THE ENTIRE THING, AND KNOWING YOU WERE FORCED TO GIVE SUBOPTIMAL CARE AND THIS COULD HAVE BEIVE PREVENTED.

>> JAMES -- COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED.

>> JAMES, SME PEOPLE THINK THIS IS HIEBER BOWLE OR -- HYPERBOLE OR BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION.

IN ABOUT 30 SECONDS, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THOSE VIEWERS?

>> WELL, IT'S -- I WISH I COULD SHOW THEM MORE THAN I COULD SAY, RIGHT?

I THINK IF ANY OF THESE DOCTORS COULD SHOW THEM WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE ICU FLOOR, I THINK THAT'S WHAT WOULD CHANGE THINGS.

SADLY, THAT CAN'T ALWAYS BE POSSIBLE.

SO I THINK THEY HAVE TO RELY ON THE INDIVIDUALS ON THE FRONTLINE THAT ARE SEEING THIS EVERY DAY.

AND THE FRUSTRATION THAT THEY FEEL.

I KNOW EVERYONE IS FRUSTRATED.

I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE ON THAT.

BUT I THINK YOU HAVE TO PUSH PAST THAT FRUSTRATION AND REALLY JUST LOOK FORDS THE FUTURE -- TOWARDS THE FUTURE AND THAT HOPE OF GETTING PAST THIS AS A COMMUNITY.

>> DR. HAHN, ANY LAST WORDS, ANY -- ANY SIGNS OF HOPE THAT YOU HAVE?

>> YEAH.

I THINK THERE ARE SOME.

I THINK WE'RE ALL REALLY GRATIFIED TO SEE THE VACCINATION NUMBERS GOING UP.

I IN I THAT -- I THINK THAT WE WOULD HAVE BEEN DELIGHTED TO SEE THIS MONTHS AGO, BUT WE'RE HAPPY THAT ARE IDAHOIANS SAYING -- I THINK I'VE GIVEN THIS ENOUGH TIME AND I NEED TO GET VACCINATED.

WE'RE SEEN OUR HEALTHCARE WORKERS, OUR PUBLIC HEALTH FOLKS, WORKING TIRELESSLY AND PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TO COMBAT THIS AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HOPE THAT THAT'S GOING TO PAY OFF.

>> THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US.

AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

WE HAVE A FOLLOW-UP SCHEDULED AIR OGIDAHO PUBLIC TELEVISION AT 8 -- AIRING ON IDAHO PUBLIC TELEVISION AT 8:00 P.M. WE'LL SEE YOU THEN.