Idaho Gov. Brad Little warns of school interruptions if more don’t get COVID vaccine

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — Idaho Gov. Brad Little on Tuesday urged more adults and teens to get vaccinated against COVID-19, warning the public that schools could be disrupted as variants are spreading.

“Simply put, we need more Idahoans to choose to receive the vaccine for kids to have a chance at a normal school year, one that is entirely in person, without outbreaks and quarantines,” Little said at a press conference.

Idaho has lagged behind national averages on COVID-19 vaccination rates. In Idaho, just over 50% of those 12 and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to the state, compared to the 67.6% national average.

Lower rates are particularly stark in younger populations in Idaho. Among ages 12 to 15, 22% have received one dose, and 31% of 16- and 17-year-olds in Idaho have received one dose, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Among ages 18 to 34, the rate is 38%.

Meanwhile, the highly transmissible delta variant has become the predominant virus in Idaho, state public health officials said. Delta was detectable in 81% of the samples the Idaho Bureau of Labs tested from June 19 to July 19. The month before that, delta was present in just 7.2% of the samples.

One person infected with the delta variant on average can infect five to nine others — at least twice as contagious as the original COVID-19 variant, said Dr. Kathryn Turner, deputy state epidemiologist.

COVID-19 infections among those younger than 12 have doubled in the past two weeks, Turner said.

Dave Jeppesen, director of the Department of Health and Welfare, said officials are concerned as the school year begins and younger children aren’t eligible for the vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued recommendations for K-12 school students to wear masks, though it’s up to individual school boards to determine mandates.

Public health experts have said all three COVID-19 vaccines the U.S. authorized for emergency use have shown to be highly effective against COVID-19 variants, particularly to protect people from severe cases, hospitalizations and death.

Turner said younger children are the most vulnerable population right now, since they can’t get vaccinated.

“It’s really incumbent upon the adults in their lives and older teens to be vaccinated to sort of cocoon these kids away from the risk of becoming infected,” Turner said. “Does it worry me? It does.”