ABC News: ‘This Covid Virus is been like a really long mass causality incident’

There are two narratives concerning the Delta variant of the Covid virus in the state of Idaho. Idaho is the second least vaccinated state in the country. The state's largest outdoor gathering, the home opener for Boise State Football, is happening this Friday while the state's healthcare system is at its breaking point.

Idaho is one of three states that will now receive help fighting Covid from the US Navy, reports ABC News. The situation is so dire in Idaho that ABC News sent national correspondent Kaylee Hartung to Boise to cover the story from Idaho. Her story about Idaho struggling with healthcare was one of the top stories on Good Morning America this morning and was the A block on World News Tonight with David Murr.

Hartung spent her day around the EMS and hospitals in Boise covering the challenge ICU workers face daily.  She spoke with Shawn Rayne, Ada County Chief Paramedic, on camera.  He told her, "this Covid virus has been kinda like a really long mass causality incident.  It just goes on and on and on.  It's been definitely tough on my people"  Doctors tell ABC News that close to all of their ICU patients aren't vaccinated.

Doctor Meghan McInerny, Pulmonologist and ICU Director shared her concerns with Hartung, "we don't have enough staff, nurses are leaving because they're burned out and we simply don't have enough people we don't have the manpower to take care of these patients."

Last year, Governor Little and the health districts restricted access to large venues.  The state was not in the crisis that it is today.  Will state leaders allow large events like Friday's home opener to go on?  Apparently so, Bronco fans will be required to mask up for the game against UTEP.  However, how effective of protection will the masks provide in such a large setting?  You can watch the World News Tonight story below.

Doctor Mark Nassir, president of Saint Alphonsus, told KTVB "the ability to enforce the wearing of masks or keeping a distance when you're gathering that many people in a small space would be very difficult."  Boise State told KTVB that they have been proactive in exceeding current local guidelines.

Are there current guidelines?  There doesn't appear to be any guidelines except don't get sick because the hospitals are over capacity.  If ABC News is covering the restrictions of care for Idahoans, why isn't anyone involved in the state's health and welfare department saying it could be time to rethink these large gatherings?