Idahoans Are Finally Returning To Normal After Two Long Years
After two long years, Idaho is emerging from the severe Covid restrictions that changed our way of life. During the two years of the state of emergency, we lost friends, families, careers and learned to appreciate the beauty of a maskless face. It appears that our state and the national nightmare are over.
As we've reported, Boise city, Boise State, and Boise schools have dropped their mask mandates. The mandatory orders were a controversy that sparked several arguments, masks burnings, and endless social media posts. Ada County and other Idaho counties are watching their infection rates fall, which means the end of the nanny state.
Governor Little declared that Idaho would remove itself from the state of emergency early next month. Unlike other states, Idaho did not issue a statewide mask mandate. Appointed state health district boards instituted the orders. No state in the union arguably has recovered faster than Idaho. Folks have been returning to concerts and sporting events since they became open during the fall.
The challenge for a continued recovery depends on the state's hospital systems. Staffing is a challenge for most of the Treasure Valley hospitals. Visiting nurses were brought in at great expense to help care for the sick. The Omicron variant caused multiple staffing shortages in healthcare facilities. Governor Little called up the Idaho National Guard to staff many medical care facilities in our area.
The end of the state of emergency means that the state will now be returned to the equal separation of powers outlined in the state constitution. Critics of the governor alleged that he had too much power. Idaho will also lose the federal money it received from the Biden Administration while in a state of emergency.
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