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<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><img width="624" height="147" style="width:6.5in;height:1.5312in" id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.png@01D832F2.24933050" alt="Graphical user interface, text
Description automatically generated"></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">March 8, 2022<b><u><o:p></o:p></u></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><u><span style="font-size:26.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Public health disaster emergency declaration to end April 15<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Boise, Idaho – After weeks of thoughtful deliberation with numerous stakeholders, Governor Brad Little announced today Idaho will end the public health emergency on April
15, 2022. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Governor Little’s statement on reaching the milestone follows:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">“I kept Idaho open, banned vaccine mandates, never issued mandates for vaccines or masks, and successfully challenged Biden’s overreaching vaccine
mandates in court. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">“The emergency declaration served as an administrative function to recoup FEMA dollars for a variety of needs throughout Idaho. The emergency
declaration never violated or restricted any rights of Idahoans, never put Idaho on lockdown, and never allowed for mandates for masks or vaccines. These are the facts.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">“Without the emergency declaration we would not be able to provide historic tax relief, a step that’s even more important now as gas prices
and inflation soar. Without the emergency declaration, Idaho would not be the state with the strongest economy in the nation.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">“We’re hopeful the recent decrease in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths means we are on a downward trend with the pandemic. For weeks,
we have been closely examining the needs within Idaho’s healthcare system with an eye toward ending the public health emergency declaration as soon as possible. The April 15 timeframe provides an important bridge for hospitals and other healthcare providers
to plan for the transition.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">“I want to thank Idahoans, especially our medical community, first responders, public health officials, and National Guard volunteers for helping
us reach this positive milestone.”</span></i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">The activation of a statewide public health emergency since the start of the pandemic has enabled the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to cover costs associated
with distribution of critical supplies such as ventilators and PPE, medical staffing, National Guard support, vaccine distribution, and other needs.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Every single state had a public health emergency declaration in place, and dozens still do.
<b>FEMA covered $257 million in costs since March of 2020 that would otherwise have been covered by the Idaho state budget or local governments. That means without the emergency declaration, the State of Idaho would not be able to provide Idahoans with historic
tax relief and unprecedented strategic investments to keep up with growth.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Only the Governor can lawfully end an emergency declaration. For weeks, the Governor’s Office has been coordinating with stakeholders to minimize impacts and ensure hospitals
and others are prepared for the expiration of the emergency declaration on April 15.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Since the start of the pandemic, there has been much misinformation about what the emergency declaration does and does not do. The emergency declaration:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNoSpacing" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Existed as an administrative document to ensure FEMA can cover costs associated with pandemic needs, so the Idaho state budget and local
governments are not on the hook for costs<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNoSpacing" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Enabled Idaho to cut red tape to allow more nurses to enter the workforce and expand telehealth services<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNoSpacing" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Enabled the activation of the National Guard to expand healthcare capacity<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNoSpacing" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Added hundreds of medical personnel to support long-term care facilities and hospitals overrun with patients<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNoSpacing" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Covered costs for first responders; county emergency management; funeral assistance; testing; vaccine rollout; PPE, ventilators, and other
medical equipment, bringing much needed resources to Idaho<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNoSpacing" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">DOES NOT violate or restrict any rights of Idahoans
<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></li><li class="MsoNoSpacing" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">DOES NOT put Idaho on lockdown<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></li><li class="MsoNoSpacing" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">DOES NOT put in place mandates for masks or vaccines<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Governor Little kept Idaho open, never put in place mask or vaccine mandates, banned vaccine passports, and successfully challenged President Biden’s vaccine mandates in
court. Idaho now has the strongest economy in the nation. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Idaho still maintains a fund to respond to COVID-19 if needs change.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare will continue to serve as a resource for COVID-19 information and will continue to update
</span><a href="https://coronavirus.idaho.gov/"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Coronvirus.Idaho.Gov</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" align="center" style="text-align:center;background:white"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"># # #</span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="background:white"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="background:white"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black">NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: Marissa Morrison
</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black">Hyer<span class="normaltextrun">, Press Secretary</span><span class="eop"> </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="background:white"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black">208-943-1686 or </span></span><span style="color:black"><a href="mailto:marissa.morrison@gov.idaho.gov"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#0563C1;text-decoration:none">marissa.morrison@gov.idaho.gov</span></span></a></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="background:white"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black">--</span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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