IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) – Eastern Idaho Public Health Director Geri Rackow met with the Idaho Falls City Council Wednesday morning to outline why the board of health issued its health orders Tuesday night.

Read about those recommendations here.

She advised the council to expect a faster growth rate of COVID-19 cases because testing results are so slow. 

There is a current backlog of several hundred tests, and, since most of the testing is done outside of Idaho, there is as much as a 14-day delay in testing.   

That delay makes it very difficult to do adequate contact tracing.  Even more alarming, Rackow said many people being contacted are not returning calls.

Those two issues have created a significant challenge to effectively slowing spread of the disease, said Rackow.  She also advised that some employers are requiring workers who test positive to return to work anyway.

As a result, she said it is critical the community take simple precautions, like handwashing, social distancing, and face coverings to stop spread of the COVID-19 virus. Health District officials said face masks are the most effective way to control spread of the disease.

Idaho Falls Police Chief Bryce Johnson said he thought the best thing officers could do would be to contribute to educating those in violation and assisting private property holders.

And, Rackow said public education would be the primary focus of the plan at this point in time.

So far, she said there have been two deaths in the district.  None have occurred in congregate living areas, like nursing homes.

A small group of protesters congregated outside the Idaho Falls Administration Annex, objecting to the Health Department’s authority to issue public health orders.