BOISE, Idaho — Idaho Gov. Brad Little joined 24 other governors across the U.S in asking President Joe Biden to end the national emergency surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
This comes just days after Idaho healthcare leaders called the simultaneous spread of COVID-19, Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and influenza a "triple-demic" in a previous media briefing held on Dec. 15.
In a letter addressed to Biden, the 25 governors, all Republicans, asked him to terminate the national emergency, as well as the Federal Public Health Emergency (FPHE). The letter asks Biden to let the FPHE expire in April, since the signers of the letter said that they haven't received a notice that it would expire in January.
The letter says that the emergency is negatively affecting states by growing the population covered under Medicaid.
"This is costing states hundreds of millions of dollars," the letter said. "We urge you to end the national emergency and the PHE in April, and provide states notice of those intentions well in advance to allow us to adequately plan for the future."
The latest numbers from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (IDHW) show percent positivity rates for all three viruses exceed 5%. Those numbers show influenza percent positivity rates are more than 30%, and RSV rates are more than 20%.
St. Luke's Children's Hospital is also facing high demand for care, and the hospital is evaluating bed availability every few hours, according to St. Luke's Children's System Medical Director Dr. Kenny Bramwell.
The governors who signed the letter are as follows:
- Governor Chris Sununu, New Hampshire
- Governor Kay Ivey, Alabama
- Governor Mike Dunleavy, Alaska
- Governor Doug Ducey, Arizona
- Governor Asa Hutchinson, Arkansas
- Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida
- Governor Brian Kemp, Georgia
- Governor Brad Little, Idaho
- Governor Eric Holcomb, Indiana
- Governor Kim Reynolds, Iowa
- Governor Charlie Baker, Massachusetts
- Governor Tate Reeves, Mississippi
- Governor Mike Parson, Missouri
- Governor Greg Gianforte, Montana
- Governor Pete Ricketts, Nebraska
- Governor Doug Burgum, North Dakota
- Governor Henry McMaster, South Carolina
- Governor Mike DeWine, Ohio
- Governor Kristi Noem, South Dakota
- Governor Kevin Stitt, Oklahoma
- Governor Bill Lee, Tennessee
- Governor Greg Abbott, Texas
- Governor Mark Gordon, Wyoming
- Governor Spencer Cox, Utah
- Governor Glenn Youngkin, Virginia
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