BOISE
Saint Alphonsus Health System is boosting its mobile vaccine outreach program thanks to a partnership with Blue Cross of Idaho. The health insurer has provided a $75,000 grant for Saint Alphonsus to purchase a Ford Transit Van and equip it for use as a mobile clinic to reach rural and underserved communities in southwest Idaho and eastern Oregon.
âCOVID-19 has highlighted health inequities in the communities we serve,â said Jennifer Palagi, vice president of Community Health and Well-Being at Saint Alphonsus Health System. âOne of the most critical needs weâve seen is access to health care in rural, underserved and medically fragile communities. Thatâs why we launched our mobile vaccine program, to remove barriers to access. This generous gift from Blue Cross of Idaho enhances our ability to meet our mission â provide care for our patients where they live and offer these critical services.â
Saint Alphonsus and Blue Cross of Idaho are partnering to improve COVID-19 vaccine access in rural communities. Author: KTVB Staff Updated: 4:05 PM MDT May 18, 2021
BOISE, Idaho Saint Alphonsus Health System announced it will be boosting its mobile vaccine outreach program thanks to a $75,000 grant provided by Blue Cross of Idaho. The funds will be used to buy a Ford transit van and equip it for use in southwest Idaho and eastern Oregon. COVID-19 has highlighted health inequities in the communities we serve, said Jennifer Palagi, Vice President of Community Health and Well-Being at Saint Alphonsus Health System. One of the most critical needs we ve seen is access to healthcare in rural, underserved and medically fragile communities. That s why we launched our mobile vaccine program, to remove barriers to access. This generous gift from Blue Cross of Idaho enhances our ability to meet our mission – provide care for our patients where they l
ONTARIO
Oregonians who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will no longer need to wear masks or social distance in most public spaces, whether inside or outside. The announcement came Thursday by Gov. Kate Brown, who said the move was in line with the Centers for Disease Controls new guidance issued earlier that day.
âIt is yet another sign that, if we all continue to do our part, the pandemic is coming closer to an end,â said Brown in a video statement.
The CDC says exceptions include public transportation, hospitals, health-care clinics, correctional facilities and long-term care facilities. Per that guidance, Oregon will continue to require masks and social distancing in those circumstances, according to Brown.
Idaho providers open COVID-19 vaccine appointments to 12-15-year-olds after Pfizer approval Ian Max Stevenson, The Idaho Statesman
May 12 Vaccine providers in the Treasure Valley have opened up appointments to children ages 12 to 15 after a government panel recommended the Pfizer vaccine for use in younger children on Wednesday.
On Monday, the Food and Drug Administration approved the Pfizer vaccine for emergency use in 12-to-15 year-olds. On Wednesday, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory panel convened and recommended that the vaccine be used for children younger than 16 for the first time. The CDC s director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, adopted the recommendation on Wednesday evening.
Idaho adds 233 COVID-19 cases; state awarded money for response and vaccine efforts Ian Max Stevenson, The Idaho Statesman
May 12 National entities have awarded Idaho health officials funding to support ongoing vaccination efforts in a state where coronavirus caseload numbers are improving, but vaccine resistance means Idaho is lagging national averages.
On Tuesday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that it is awarding $22 million to Idaho s Office of Emergency Management, according to a news release. The money is meant to help state and local agencies that have had to increase staffing, purchase supplies and equipment, or divert resources to vaccinate their populations.