Blaine County Extends Specific Restrictive COVID-19 Ordinance by a Week
HAILEY, Idaho (KLIX)-Blaine County elected officials have extended a stay-in-place order another week in response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
On Saturday, April 11, Blaine County Commissioners met in a special meeting and passed Ordinance 2020-02, that extends the stricter measures for the county in addition to the State Declaration of Emergency and Stay-home Order issued by the governor. The extension continues the measures until April, 19.
The Wood River Valley was one of the earliest and hardest hit by COVID-19 with more than 400 confirmed cases in the county. It was also the first area in Idaho to have confirmed cases of community spread.
The measure continues additional restrictions and penalties for violating the order. The special order applies to anyone living or working in Blaine County. It requires any business operating under the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare directive as an essential business to abide by social distancing requirements. Also, travel into or out of the county is only for essential business or essential government functions. It does prohibit travel outside of the county for goods and services that can be found within the county. According to the Ordinance, the penalty of violating the order in Blaine County could face a misdemeanor.
The State Stay-home Order is set to sunset on Wednesday, April 15, as it is written since being enacted on March 25. However, there is a possibility of it too being extended.