As of March 16, Idaho is currently reporting 5 cases of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Officials are monitoring it closely prepared to take action as cases of the coronavirus continue to rise in the area.
We find that the best way to take preventative steps is to plan and prepare ahead of time. Since the coronavirus has made its way to Idaho, take this time to set a plan in place and prepare to keep yourselves, your family, and the community safe.
Practice good personal health:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick
- Stay home when you are sick or feeling sick
- Cover your coughs
- Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects daily
- Wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
- Avoid sharing food, drinks, cosmetics, and personal items
- If you ARE sick wear a face mask, if you are NOT sick face masks are not needed
Aid Organizations: These local organizations are here to help give you information, provide health care services, support and resources.
It’s important to remain alert and aware of what’s happening around us and in our community. Stay in contact with all local organizations for updates and questions.
More about the Coronavirus
Symptoms:
Patients with COVID-19 have had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of:
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
These symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure.
How it is spread
COVID-19 virus is thought to spread mainly from person to person who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Another possibility of spreading is touching surfaces or objects that have the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose or eyes.
Local Idaho Resources
- St. Mary’s Food Bank on State St. - Will continue providing food to individuals in the community.
- Dick Eardley Senior Center - Metro Meals on Wheels will be providing meal prep and lunch services at a small cost. Participants can pick them up curbside Monday through Friday, 11:30AM - 1PM.
- Venture Wellness, LLC and Anxiety in Idaho - SSG Stefanie Corbett serves in the Idaho Army National Guard, and is a counselor, offering telehealth services (video chat counseling sessions).
- MidValley Healthcare offering telehealth services.
Closures in Idaho - Updated as of 3/16
Schools and Universities
- The Ambrose School - Temporarily closed, Monday, March 16 - March 27. All activities and athletics are canceled.
- Basin School District in Idaho City - Closed Monday, March 16 - Monday, March 30.
- Bishop Kelley High School - Canceled on March 16.
- Boise School Districts - All Boise schools will be closed Monday, March 16th - Friday, March 27. All sports and activities are suspended for the time being.
- Boise State University - Classes will be online for the remainder of the spring semester.
- Caldwell School District - The school district will be closed Wednesday, March 18 - March 29.
- Caldwell Adventist Elementary School - Closed March 18 - March 29.
- Cassia School District - All country schools will be closed Tuesday, March 17 - March 29.
- Cole Valley Christian Schools - Schools will close Wednesday, March 18 - March 30.
- College of Western Idaho - Spring break will be extended from Monday, March 16 - Saturday, April 4th.
- Concordia University School of Law Boise - All classes will now be online.
- Idaho Arts Charter School - Closed until Monday, March 30.
- Idaho State University - Classes are canceled and community-facing clinics are closed for cleaning.
- Kuna School District - All schools will be closed Wednesday, March 18 - March 29.
- Middleton School District - All schools will be closed Monday, March 16 - March 29.
- Nampa School District - All schools will be closed Wednesday, March 18 - March 29.
- Northwest Nazarene University - Spring break will begin Saturday, March 14 - March 30. After Spring Break, all classes will be online only. Normal in-class courses will resume on Tuesday, April 14.
- Puentes Spanish Preschool - Will be closed March 16 - March 27.
- Sage International School of Boise - The school will be closed Monday, March 16 - March 27.
- Twin Falls School District - Schools are closed until the end of spring break, March 30.
- The University of Idaho - Courses will be all online, beginning March 23.
- Vallivue School District - All schools will be closed Wednesday, March 18 -March 29.
- Vision Charter School - Closes from Monday, March 16 - March 30.
- Richard McKenna Montessori and High School - Charter schools will be closed Monday, March 16 - March 20, all classes will be online.
- Rolling Hills Charter School - All classes will be closed until Monday, March 30.
- Wendell School District - The county’s schools will be closed Monday, March 16 0 March 29.
- West Ada School District - Will be closed March 16 - March 30.
- Westland Preschool and Kindergarten - The schools will be closed from Monday, March 17 - March 29.
Events, Venues, and Places
- Boise State Athletics - BSU has canceled all athletic events for the time being.
- YMCA - The Treasure Valley YMCA will close multiple sites until March 22, including the Caldwell, Downtown Boise, South Meridian, West Boise, and Camp at Horsethief Reservoir locations.
- Big Sky Tournament - About halfway through the Big Sky basketball championship in Boise, the conference canceled the remainder of the tournament.
- Idaho Steelheads - The ECHL canceled the remainder of the season.
- Idaho High School Activities Association - All cheer/dance and debate competitions have been postponed.
- Race to Robie Creek - The annual half-marathon set for April 18 is being pushed back. A new date to come.
- Idaho Youth Soccer - All of IYSAA league games are suspended through March 30.
- Boise Towne Square Mall - Has limited their hours, Monday - Saturday 12PM - 7PM, Sunday 11AM - 6PM. Individual stores may temporarily close down or have more limited hours.
- Discovery Center of Idaho - The center will now be closed Monday, March 16 - Friday, March 27.
- Canyon County - All non-essential visits to the courthouse, DMV, and administration building will need to be postponed. All essential business is be to done over the phone or online, if possible.
- Ada Country courthouse - Members of the public will no longer be allowed into the Ada County Courthouse except for criminal trials.
- Bogus Basin - All lodge facilities will be closed, night skiing will no longer be offered, and weekday hours will change to 10 AM - 4:30 PM. The rental shop, Ski and Snowboard School, mountain coaster, tubbing hill, and all nordic operations will close.
- Sun Valley Resort - Starting March 16, Sun Valley will close all mountain operations for the remainder of the 2019-20 winter season.
- Boise Public Library - Homebound services, volunteer program, book donations, and Tree City Book sales at the Main Library store will be suspended system-wide. Online sales will continue.
- Boise Parks and Recreation - The Dick Eardley Senior Center will be closed until further notice. The kitchen will remain in use by Metro Meals on Wheels, who will continue to meal prep and sell meals at a small cost.
- Nampa Public Library - All programs are canceled through the end of March, meetings and events have been rescheduled, and toys, puzzles, and games will be removed.
- City of Meridian - All city-sponsored events taking place through April 15 will be postponed or changed depending on size, space, and location.
- Meridian Public Library - All Meridian Library District locations are closed through March 31.
- Treefort Music Fest - Has been postponed to September 23 - 27.
- Boise Pride Festival - The 31st annual Boise Pride Fest has been rescheduled to the weekend of September 11-13.
- Sun Valley Film Festival - The annual Sun Valley Film Festival has been canceled.
- Expo Idaho - All events through April 30 have been postponed or canceled.
- Ford Idaho Center - All concerts and other events have been canceled through March 31.
- Canyon County Fair Building - All March events have been postponed.
- Morrison Center - Many individual events are being canceled or postponed, so keep a close eye on the Morrison Center website for updates.
- Barber Park - Ada County Park and Waterways will no longer take new bookings for the Barber Park Education and Event Center through May 31.
- City Club of Boise - The City Club of Boise has canceled all events through the first part of April.
- Nampa Civic Center - All concerts and other events at the Nampa Civic Center will be canceled.
- Boise Flower and Garden Show - Postponed until March 2021.
- Boise Philharmonic Association - All events, concerts, rehearsals, and gatherings have been canceled through April 30, 2020.
- 2020 Idaho Miss Amazing - The event has been postponed, a new date will be released soon.
- Bogus Basin Recreation Area - Will remain open, but all upcoming events will be canceled. The bus service will also be shut down.
- Brundage Mountain Ski Resort - Will stay open, but is canceling all upcoming events.
- City of Caldwell - Canceled the Mayor’s State of the City, all city recreation events, all events at the Caldwell Event Center and will revoke permits for gatherings of 250 people or more.
- WinCo Foods - Various stores will be closed temporarily from 12AM - 5AM for cleaning and restocking.
Remember to stay safe, continue to stay alert taking preventive measures, and remain calm in times of stress. This is our time to stand up as a community and fight the Coronavirus together. Being prepared for the Coronavirus will help ensure the safety and wellbeing of other community members, family, and yourself.