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<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><img width="624" height="147" style="width:6.5in;height:1.5312in" id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.png@01D714C7.600B26F0"></span><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">March 9, 2021<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><u><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">Gov. Little reflects one year of Idaho’s pandemic fight<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Boise, Idaho – Governor Brad Little issued a message to the people of Idaho today, reflecting on one year of Idaho’s pandemic fight. Saturday marks one year since Idaho’s first confirmed COVID-19
case.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Governor Little’s statement follows:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Saturday marks one year since Idaho’s first confirmed case of COVID-19.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Tragically, we have lost close to 1,900 of our fellow Idahoans to this new, dangerous, and aggressive disease. We mourn the loss of life and pray for strength and peace
for the loved ones they left behind.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">At least 173,000 Idahoans have been infected. Thousands have been hospitalized. Some will have to deal with longstanding health effects from COVID-19.
<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">But now, more than 284,000 Idahoans have received the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine. We have turned a corner in our pandemic fight, and I believe the worst part
is behind us.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">That said, we must remain vigilant. We have a way to go before we can return to “life as normal.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">I want to thank the people of Idaho, from the bottom of my heart, for the sacrifices you have made over the past year. I also want to thank the entire public health team,
from frontline nurses to my state team.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Idahoans stepped up in new ways to protect lives, be there for your children, and help our state move forward.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">And together, we have made a lot of progress.
<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">We are a leading state for our share of vaccine doses administered.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">We have prevented a crisis in our hospitals and case counts and hospitalizations continue to decline, while our economy, schools, and churches have stayed open.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">We distributed most of our federal relief funds in direct support of Idaho citizens and businesses through tax relief and grants.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">We achieved all that TOGETHER.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">And now, because of our collective good efforts, we have the strongest economy in the nation. There is a direct relationship between public health and economic prosperity
– and having our kids in school.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">We have the most financially solvent state budget, and with our record budget surplus, we are poised to provide Idahoans with historic tax relief and make strategic investments
in transportation, education, water, broadband and other critical areas through our “Building Idaho’s Future” plan.
<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">We have low unemployment. We saw the biggest increase in personal income growth. We saw the biggest increase in small business formation over the past year.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">As we reflect on a momentous past 12 months, let’s remember that we will not maintain all our progress unless we continue to take steps to protect lives.
<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Idaho, THANK YOU for your perseverance and sacrifice.
<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">We will continue to get stronger TOGETHER!<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""># # #<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: Marissa Morrison, Press Secretary<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><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"">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">--<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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news from Governor Little</span></i></a><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Reply to this e-mail to unsubscribe</span></i><o:p></o:p></p>
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