Idaho’s Public Health Emergency Declaration to End in April
TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KLIX)-The public health disaster emergency declaration enacted by Idaho's governor at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic will end in April. On Tuesday, Gov. Brad Little's office announced plans to end the public health emergency on April 15. In a statement, Gov. Little said the declaration, signed in March of 2020, acted as an administrative tool to recoup Federal Emergency Management Agency money addressing public health needs across the state through the pandemic. "We’re hopeful the recent decrease in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths means we are on a downward trend with the pandemic. For weeks, we have been closely examining the needs within Idaho’s healthcare system with an eye toward ending the public health emergency declaration as soon as possible. The April 15 timeframe provides an important bridge for hospitals and other healthcare providers to plan for the transition," said Gov. Little in the announcement. According to the governor, the federal agency covered $250 million in costs since the pandemic hit Idaho. The state will maintain a fund to respond to future COVID-19 needs, although the governor's office did not indicate how much money was available.