Boise State Football, Treefort are going when Idaho hospitals are overcrowded

Some of Boise’s biggest events are progressing, although crisis standards for treatment are activating this week across the country.

Boise State University continues to host a football match against Oklahoma State on Saturday.

Albertsons Stadium can accommodate more than 36,000 people, making it Idahos 10^th the largest city in terms of capacity.

Much of the audience in Boise States ’first home game did not wear masks despite the school policy that ordered them inside the stadium.

Dr. Steven Nemerson, clinical director of Saint Alphonsus, was asked this week if such events were safe.

The short answer is no, it is not safe to hold these events, but we do not know that we can change developments, Nemerson said.

His advice for people who still want to go to the game on Saturday?

It would be best if people attend events that cover their faces and stay apart, but we’ve seen that doesn’t happen, he said.

University spokesman Mike Sharp said the school has no plans to cancel the game at this time.

President Marlene Tromp told Boise State Public Radio that she was disappointed with people who did not follow the camouflage mandate, but we need to learn to live with the disease.

Late Friday afternoon, Tromp, along with the CEOs of Saint Alphonsus and St.Luke’s Health Systems, sent a letter to the campus community saying Boise State would require all students participating in Saturday’s match to show evidence of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test.

“The university understands that the game is fast approaching and that this requirement brings challenges …,” Tromp said.

These requirements are valid for all fans from October 2nd.

“This window gives time for both our healthcare system and our fans to meet that demand and allow people to make choices that are best for them and their families.”

St. Lukes reflects to the COVID patient all the beds they have available by the end of the month.

The organizers of the Treefort Music Fest, which starts next Wednesday, issued a statement saying they had stopped selling tickets and reiterated their COVID practice of requiring participants to show evidence of vaccination or negative test results. They also require participants to wear masks in accordance with the new city policy.

Events that are ready and willing to take these additional measures are still important for the wider well-being of our community, and not only can they happen, they should happen, they said.

The latest Treefort in 2019 attracted about 24,000 people to Boise, according to the organizers.

Emma Arnold, a former organizer of Comedyfort, Treeforts ’comedy stock, blew up the organizations’ choice to move with the festival at the moment.

Arnold wrote on Twitter on Twitter that he had previously worked closely with them. It’s confusing and outrageous to watch them try to develop a clear selfishness into community.

I liked my tongue [because] I assumed that they would eventually do the right thing and withdraw the call of the decision as suspicious and irresponsible.

A Treefort spokesman said they have contacted Arnold privately and declined to comment further.

Eric Gilbert, a founding member of the Treefort Music Fest, defended the change in his Facebook post on Friday morning.

Gilbert said he has been fighting prostate cancer for most of this year and is “winning right now.” He said health workers are blaming those who refuse to receive COVID-19 for the huge number of cases and hospitalizations.

On Thursday, 42% of all St.Luke’s hospital patients were COVID-positive. Of the 75 patients in the ICU, 63 fought COVID-19 and 96% were unvaccinated.

Gilbert referred to the festival’s vaccination and testing practices as a way to alleviate the additional pressure on Treasure Valley hospitals, which he described as going “far beyond what any outside agency has asked of us”.

“The bunch of vaccinated, responsible, communal people who will stay home next week are not helping with the current problem with ICU beds in the state of Idaho. In fact, it could be more detrimental,” he wrote.

Follow James Dawson on Twitter @RadioDawson more local news.

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