Our hospitals are treating a record number of COVID-19 patients, including our Nampa facility. This is the highest number we have seen yet since the pandemic started. We continue to be very concerned about community spread and the impact it is having on our community including our healthcare workers safety. We are committed to continue to serve our communities and feel confident that with community support and safety precautions taken, we will be in a much better place in the future.

We update COVID-19 statistics daily. Visit www.saintalphonsus.org/coronavirus/stats for the latest information. Twenty-five (25) percent of all patients in the Saint Alphonsus Health System hospitals are COVID-positive. This chart shows that 33 percent of our hospitalized patients are from Canyon County.

The team at St. Luke’s Nampa continues to bring their best every day to care for our friends and neighbors in Canyon County. As we see cases in our community rise and resources in our hospital become constrained, we are very concerned.

In Nampa, our hospital is often at capacity. The patients we care for are more ill and we are seeing many not survive. The St. Luke’s team continues to do all it can to manage capacity and ensure we remain available to care for the community. Our hope and our ask is that the community continues to do all it can to help control the spread of the virus – Please continue to wash your hands, social distance, choose to wear a mask and limit gatherings.

Even with the challenges we face, I remain optimistic. There is hope that an effective vaccine will soon be available, and there continues to be inspiring examples of caring and support within our community. I am confident we will get through this challenging time if we do it, together.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare published an FAQ on crisis standards of care this week and you can read the entire document here. From the document:

"Crisis standards of care are guidelines that help healthcare providers and healthcare systems decide how to deliver the best care possible under the extraordinary circumstances of a disaster or a public health emergency. Crisis standards of care guidelines would be used when resources are insufficient to provide the usual standard of care to people who need it. The goal of crisis standards of care is to save as many lives as possible. During a disaster, such as an earthquake or a pandemic, healthcare systems may be so overwhelmed by patients, or resources may be so scarce, that it may not be possible to provide all patients the level of care they would receive under normal circumstances. In those situations, crisis standards of care would guide decisions about how to allocate scarce resources, such as hospital beds, medications, or breathing machines."

This week the City of Nampa partnered with the Idaho Food Bank and Team Rubicon to distribute 2,100 food boxes to our community. We couldn't have done it without the many volunteers who helped direct traffic, take information and load boxes. THANK YOU!

Since the pandemic began, we have helped distribute nearly 10,000 food boxes to our community.

Each Thursday in December, we're taking a moment to share appreciation for frontline workers with #thankyouthursday on social media!

Please join us - or reach out privately - by thanking our frontline workers.

Ready to give back to your community? Click the link to learn about ways you can serve on boards and commissions within the City of Nampa.

There are multiple programs available to assist the community during this time. Click here or button to right for more information.

The Treasure Valley holiday season kicks off TONIGHT, Friday, November 20 at the Ford Idaho Center Horse Park and Sports Center for the first ever Idaho Bright Lights Festival presented by Idaho Central Credit Union. The Ford Idaho Center will convert the Horse Park & Sports Center into a socially distanced winter market and dazzling light display, with the help of local lighting partners, Silver Bells Lighting!

The Nampa Chamber of Commerce has graciously agreed to be a one-stop shop for all local businesses, and has a variety of other resources including free masks, hand sanitizer and COVID-19 related signs in English and Spanish.

Please show your support for our community by taking the One Idaho pledge at one.idaho.gov.

COVID-19 FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

Thanks to the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare and the Hispanic/Latino COVID-19 Task Force, a variety of bilingual signs are available for local businesses or organizations. If interested, email bowmana@cityofnampa.us or pick up today at the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Nampa Chamber of Commerce or Southwest District Health.

Nampa is committed to being a safe and healthy community where people prosper.

Please do your part and remember to respect and

be kind to each other and our local businesses.

Southwest District Health Re-Opening Guidance

Idaho Rebound Cash Grants for Small Businesses - LINK

Download your Nampa Ready Business Posters here: 8.5x11  11x17