The current COVID-19 surge has, once again, stressed the state’s hospital system. Two of Idaho’s major hospitals, St. Luke’s in southern Idaho and Kootenai Health in Coeur d’Alene, have postponed non-emergency elective procedures that require overnight stays, and have reassigned nurses to help care for critically ill patients.

COVID-19 ICU admissions are now at the same levels they were in November, and Dr. Jim Souza of St. Luke’s said this surge has the potential to be worse than what the state experienced in December, when Idaho came close to having to activate crisis standards of care.

On Thursday, Gov. Brad Little implored Idahoans to get vaccinated to ease the strain on hospitals and to help ensure an uninterrupted school year for Idaho students.

Since May 15, there have been 13 times as many COVID-19 hospitalizations and ten times as many deaths among unvaccinated people as there were in vaccinated people.

The statewide positivity rate has risen to 12.8 percent, and the highest case rates were reported in Clearwater, Nez Perce, Twin Falls, Shoshone and Kootenai counties.