Hospitals seek community help to “flatten the curve”

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) - Fourteen regional hospitals have released a joint statement encouraging eastern Idahoans to “flatten the curve” of COVID-19.

As of this week, hospitals are experiencing the highest number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 that have ever been seen since the pandemic began.  They said it is placing a significant strain on hospital resources and especially health care workers.

The “flatten the curve” concept is explicitly aimed at helping hospitals handle the demand brought on by community spread of the virus.

“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,” said the statement.

The Centers for Disease Control has issued recommendations on how to reduce and slow the spread of COVID-19:

* Mask always in public, and when interacting with people not in your household (you must cover your nose and mouth to be effective).

* Avoid large gatherings, even among people you know well.

* Wash your hands frequently.

* Practice physical distancing- give people six feet of space.

The statement was endorsed by the following health care facilities:

Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center

Portneuf Medical Center

Madison Memorial Hospital

Idaho Falls Community Hospital

Mountain View Hospital

Steele Memorial Medical Center

Teton Valley Hospital

Lost Rivers Medical Center

Bear Lake Memorial Hospital

Caribou Memorial Hospital

Franklin County Medical Center

Nell J. Redfield Memorial Hospital

Power County Hospital District

Intermountain Cassia Regional Medical Center