The Advisory includes the following health and safety measures:

Individuals

• Wear a face covering at all times around anyone who is not a member of your household when physical distancing of at least 6 feet cannot be maintained. The only exceptions are for children younger than age 2, people who have trouble breathing, people who cannot remove the mask without assistance, or people who are obtaining a service involving the nose, face, or head for which temporary removal of the face covering is necessary to perform the service. In Ada and Valley Counties, current public health orders apply and require the wearing of masks/face coverings under the scenarios outlined in the section above.
  
• Work from home.
• Minimize non-essential travel.
• Suspend visits to congregate living facilities.
• Avoid social gatherings, including among family members who do not live in your household.
  In Ada County, the current public health order requires social gathering sizes to be limited to 10 or fewer people; and other gatherings to 50 people or fewer.
  The current statewide order limits both public and private gathering sizes to 10 or fewer.
• Anyone age 65 and older, or who smokes, or with a health condition that puts them at risk for severe outcomes, avoid close contact with anyone other than immediate household members except for necessary services, such as accessing healthcare.
  • Per the CDC, health conditions that put a person at high risk include: Chronic kidney disease, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies, Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant, Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher but < 40 kg/m2), Severe Obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2), Pregnancy, Sickle cell disease and Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Outings/Activities/Places of Business

• Businesses implement delivery/curb-side services.
• Places of worship implement virtual services.
• Discontinue youth and adult sports/activities in which physical distancing is not possible.
• Discontinue school extracurricular activities of all types in which physical distancing cannot be maintained AND where physical distancing can be maintained but the activity requires increased breathing, such as choir and band.
• Bars, restaurants, breweries/taprooms/wineries/distilleries – takeout/carryout only. Close at 10 pm.
• Gyms and other fitness or group exercise facilities/studios (e.g., spin, dance, yoga, pilates, gymnastics) limit capacity to not more than 50%. Class instructors maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from participants at all times.

The Advisory applies to all of the counties in Central District Health’s jurisdiction which include Ada, Boise, Elmore, and Valley Counties. In Ada County, the public health order that is in place, remains in place and the Valley County mask order also remains in place. Though the advisory may be more stringent in some areas, it does not change those orders.

The Advisory took effect upon approval at the CDH Board of Health meeting on 11/17/20. The Board agreed to keep the Advisory in place until a sustained two-week decline in cases is seen within CDH’s jurisdiction and a two-week case rate of less than 30 cases per 100,000 people, per day, occurs. If one of the three healthcare systems within CDH’s jurisdiction implements crisis standards of care, which means they must prioritize their delivery of care, the Advisory will become a public health order and may include additional restrictions. If this were to occur, the Board of Health would meet to discuss and vote prior to to the Advisory becoming an order.

The CDH Board of Health meets for regular meetings weekly to discuss and address COVID-19 related developments in its jurisdiction. Meetings are streamed live on CDH’s YouTube page and are also available for viewing following the meetings. Board meeting notices, agendas, and information on written public comment opportunities are available on the Board of Health Meetings page.

Central District Health issues public health advisories when they want to bring a serious public health issue to the public’s attention and ask them to take specific measures to protect themselves and the community. The advisory was issued to support our hospitals so they can continue providing appropriate levels of care for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients, and to protect the health of our citizens.

A public health advisory is not a mandate like a public health order, but it’s a means of communicating a message of caution and offering guidance to the public. CDH issues public health advisories in situations where there is a risk to the public and offers strong recommendations for people to take to reduce their risk.

A public health advisory is not a legal mandate and therefore does not carry the possibility of someone receiving a citation, as a public health order does. We are asking the public to give their attention to the strong recommendations covered in the advisory and do the right thing by following it.

The public health advisory applies to all of the counties in CDH’s jurisdiction (Ada, Boise, Elmore, and Valley Counties). It does not change anything about the public health orders in place for Ada County and Valley County. The public health order for Ada County and the mask order for Valley County are both still in place and must be followed.

A health advisory is not enforceable by law. We are asking people to do what’s in the best interest of their own health and that of the community by following the Advisory.

Yes, where legally allowed, these establishments may offer carryout services after 10 pm. The public health intent is to end in-dining or drinking at 10 pm to help slow the spread of COVID-19 by limiting interactions in places where exposures may occur.

Governor Little issued a revised Stage 2 order on November 14, 2020. That order outlines a number of the same health and safety measures in CDH’s public health advisory and public health order for Ada County. Both the state’s order, the Ada County order, and the new public health advisory share the same goal to protect citizens and allow our hospitals to provide appropriate levels of care for COVID and non-COVID patients, and should be followed by Idahoans. To find the statewide order, visit rebound.idaho.gov.