Bannock County moved to ‘moderate risk’ level by SIPH
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POCATELLO — Another county in Southeastern Idaho Public Health’s district has landed in the moderate risk level of its COVID-19 Regional Response Plan.
SIPH’s Board of Health voted during a meeting Thursday to bump Bannock County up from the minimal risk level. To reach the moderate risk level, Bannock County’s rate of active cases — approximately 88 — had to be greater than 10 people for every 10,000 for a sustained three days period. Bannock’s numbers have continued to climb as of late, and Thursday, the county had 170 active cases.
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As part of the moderate risk level, the health district recommends actions be taken by community members such as use face coverings when in public and limit events and social gatherings to no more than 150 people. Unlike Eastern Idaho Public Health, SIPH has not issued any mandates requiring masks or face-coverings.
“Our board’s approach has been to adopt a plan as a series of recommendations, so we are not doing any kind of order or mandate. It’s largely based on active case rate and current hospital status,” SIPH Director Maggie Mann said in Facebook video Thursday.
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Bannock County joins Bear Lake, Bingham, Butte, Caribou and Franklin counties in the moderate risk level. Oneida County remains in the minimal risk, as it has no current active cases. Power County is still at a high-risk level.
Movement from one risk level to a lesser risk level is evaluated every 14 days, but advancement to a level of higher risk can happen at any time.
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