Health district extends mask mandate

The Panhandle Health Board voted Thursday to extend its districtwide mask mandate for 90 days.

With a crowd of about 50 protesters outside chanting how they will not comply with a mask mandate, the board made its vote on the motion of board member Dr. Richard McLandress, garnering a second from board member and nurse Jai Nelson, to extend the mask requirement.

The 4-3 vote was a stalemate until chair Marlow Thompson broke the tie by voting for the mandate.

Board members passionately argued for both sides of the mandate, with McLandress saying the mask mandate tells people near and far that North Idaho takes seriously the virus the district reports has killed 239 residents.

“We are inundated — actually flooded — with nonsense,” he said, “the nonsense that this is no more than the flu and the nonsense that there may be no coronavirus or COVID-19 around us causing all this trouble. I’m happy to report … to that nonsense that we know better.”

Other board members, however, said masks are not effective in the battle against COVID.

“We’ve had an ongoing experiment going on worldwide with masks versus no masks, depending on the jurisdiction where one lives," said Allan Banks. "There’s no significant difference between areas with mask mandates and areas without mask mandates. One would expect to see a huge difference if, in fact, masks were effective. If there’s just a minor difference, the imposition of a government mandate on the public at large does not make any sense.”

Protesters gathered outside Panhandle Health’s Hayden office on Atlas Road before the meeting kicked off to voice their displeasure at one of North Idaho’s most polarizing issues. Some waved and held signs along the sidewalk to passing traffic, while the lion’s share of the protesters crowded in front of Panhandle Health’s front doors.

One of the group’s speakers, who identified himself only as “Ryan,” called for an end to the mask mandate, an end to health protocols Gov. Brad Little has placed on the state in his Idaho Rebounds plan, and for a change to news coverage of the pandemic by the media, The Press included.

“We’re disappointed in the representation from the Coeur d’Alene Press,” he told The Press. “The majority of the population here has the belief that we’re to live a lot freer than this. We’re very disappointed in what seems to be a king-like mentality from Gov. Little and Panhandle Health.”

Protesters also were upset that Panhandle Health did not let people participate with in-person comments, with some saying they were denied entry into the building. Katherine Hoyer, public information officer for Panhandle Health, said the board sought public comments through email, and that current health protocols limit gathering sizes.

“The public was allowed to submit public comments via email prior to the meeting,” Hoyer said. “We are following the Governor’s order and limiting the number of people in the room to 10.”

Estee Aijian said she was upset she was not allowed to offer comment at the meeting. She said she made a special trip to do so and instead found police at the door and she had to stand outside in the cold for 90 minutes.

“I want to have a voice,” she said in a phone interview with The Press.

Aijian said she and her family left California about a year ago and moved to North Idaho, an area she believed offered more freedom and safety from government overreach, and where people respected the Constitution and "actually think about science."

“I know what it's like to live in a completely tyrannical state,” she said.

That’s why she said she was particularly disappointed people were not given a chance to share their views on the mask mandate in person before the PHD board, which she said went against why she wanted to live here.

"If not North Idaho, where can you speak out?" she asked.

It was her chance to make a difference, to speak up about an issue she feels strongly about, but she said she was denied that opportunity because the PHD board didn't want to hear it and "they do not care about science."

"It’s so frustrating to me,"Aijian said. “This is not representing us."

While some in the crowd dispersed after the mid-meeting decision to extend the mandate, many remained after the meeting concluded. Kootenai County Sheriff’s deputies were on hand throughout the event. Lt. Ryan Higgins of KCSO called the protest peaceful and said no arrests or citations were issued.

The existing mandate was to remain in effect through the end of January. The new mandate continues to cover all five northernmost counties in Idaho through the end of April.