Published reports indicate that Covid infectious rates are rising again in our area. The city of Boise recently reinstituted its indoor mask mandate. Now Central District Health says it's time to bring back the masks following the Centers for Disease Control direction.

Are more Idahoans Becoming Infected to Justify the Masks?

If you've read the story in the Idaho Capitol Sun, then the answer would be yes. The paper reports that Idahoans in their 30s are now filling up the ICUs, dying from their lungs filled with Covid. Local healthcare leaders blame the unvaccinated for the rise in death rates.

Central District health says that following the CDC's guidance for indoor mask-wearing is a good idea in a news release. They say that there is a space where there are substantial or high levels of community transmission, regardless of vaccination status.

Universal indoor masking is recommended for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccine status or community transmission. Further, CDH encourages people to follow any policies or requirements set by their workplace or any place of business they visit.

Under the updated guidance, all four of the counties served by CDH currently fall under substantial or high transmission. Therefore, CDH recommends that individuals in these communities wear masks in indoor public settings, regardless of their COVID-19 vaccine status.

The Best Defense?

Wearing a mask, along with physical distancing and choosing to get vaccinated for COVID-19, continue to be our best defense in this pandemic. Getting vaccinated prevents severe illness, hospitalization, and death while helping reduce the spread of the virus in the community. With the Delta variant present in Idaho counties, choosing to get vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself, your loved ones, and those around you.

As this virus continues to evolve and we are regularly learning more, CDH is committed to protecting the health and safety of the communities it serves by providing relevant guidance that aligns with current conditions. CDH will begin posting weekly community transmission rates using the CDC data and categories.

For more information:

Call Center: 208-871-1721 10am-2pm

READ ON: See the States Where People Live the Longest

Stacker used data from the 2020 County Health Rankings to rank every state's average life expectancy from lowest to highest. The 2020 County Health Rankings values were calculated using mortality counts from the 2016-2018 National Center for Health Statistics. The U.S. Census 2019 American Community Survey and America's Health Rankings Senior Report 2019 data were also used to provide demographics on the senior population of each state and the state's rank on senior health care, respectively.

Read on to learn the average life expectancy in each state.

KEEP READING: Here are the most popular baby names in every state

Using March 2019 data from the Social Security Administration, Stacker compiled a list of the most popular names in each of the 50 states and Washington D.C., according to their 2018 SSA rankings. The top five boy names and top five girl names are listed for each state, as well as the number of babies born in 2018 with that name. Historically common names like Michael only made the top five in three states, while the less common name Harper ranks in the top five for 22 states.

Curious what names are trending in your home state? Keep reading to see if your name made the top five -- or to find inspiration for naming your baby.