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<p><b><span style="font-family:'open sans'"><img src="cid:image001.png@01D6A2EB.95D46FB0" height="147" width="624"></span></b><span style="font-family:'open sans'"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:'open sans'"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:'open sans'">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:'open sans'">October 15, 2020</span></p>
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<p align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><u><span style="font-size:18pt;font-family:'open sans'">Gov. Little urges personal responsibility to slow COVID-19 spread</span></u></b></p>
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<p><span style="font-family:'open sans'">Boise, Idaho – As COVID-19 cases increase in communities across Idaho, Governor Brad Little urged Idahoans to ramp up personal actions to slow the spread of the virus to protect lives and our economic prosperity.</span></p>
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<p><b><span style="font-family:'open sans'">“Our personal actions work better to slow the spread of coronavirus than anything else. Our personal actions are free of cost and a minor sacrifice relative to the rewards,”</span></b><span style="font-family:'open sans'">
Governor Little said. <b>“This is about personal responsibility – something Idaho is all about. Wear a mask. Watch your distance from others. Wash your hands. Do these things so our kids can stay in school, our loved ones stay safe, and our economy can continue
to prosper.”</b></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family:'open sans'">Governor Little emphasized the direct connection between rising COVID-19 case counts in communities and strain on healthcare facilities. Increased community spread results in more healthcare workers getting sick and
more hospitalized Idahoans, impacting Idahoans’ access to ordinary essential health care.
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<p><b><span style="font-family:'open sans'">“This has been the goal of our COVID-19 response from the beginning – slow the spread of the virus so you and your family do not lose access to critical care for ordinary health care, a situation that damages lives
and our economy,”</span></b><span style="font-family:'open sans'"> Governor Little said.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family:'open sans'">The greatest rates of spread are occurring in eastern Idaho. Fourteen hospitals in southern and southeastern Idaho issued a joint statement today saying in part:</span></p>
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<p style="margin-left:0.5in"><span style="font-family:'open sans'">“Hospitals throughout the region are experiencing the highest number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 ever seen throughout the pandemic. This is placing a significant strain on hospital resources.
Healthcare workers are the most valuable asset in the healthcare system, even more so than bed availability...We are asking our communities to practice the personal responsibility behaviors that science has indicated will reduce the spread of COVID-19, as
well as other infectious illnesses such as influenza. The choices our residents make have a direct impact on whether we have the human resources necessary to care for our community.”</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family:'open sans'">Wearing a mask remains the most effective way to protect yourself and others. Idahoans are urged to practice safe measures not just in public but also in their close circle of family and friends.
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<p><span style="font-family:'open sans'">Idaho will continue to evaluate statewide metrics every two weeks to determine if the state will move out of Stage 4 of the Idaho Rebounds plan.</span></p>
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<p align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:'open sans'"># # #</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family:'open sans'">NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: Marissa Morrison Hyer, Press Secretary</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:'open sans'">208-943-1686 or </span><a href="mailto:marissa.morrison@gov.idaho.gov"><span style="font-family:'open sans'">marissa.morrison@gov.idaho.gov</span></a><span style="font-family:'open sans'">
</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:'open sans'">--</span></p>
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