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Idaho lawmakers warned of possible COVID-19 exposure at Statehouse

Several lawmakers - both Democrat and Republican - have expressed concerns about COVID-19 precautions at the Statehouse. Now a Senate staffer has tested positive.

BOISE, Idaho — Just a week into the Idaho Legislature's 2021 session and there is already a case of COVID-19 at the  Statehouse.

Senators and staff were notified late Monday about a possible exposure after a Senate staffer tested positive over the weekend.

In a memo, Secretary of the Senate Jennifer Novak said the staffer was last at work on Wednesday, Jan. 13. Novak added that the staffer primarily worked in the Senate chairman's suite.

Senate President Pro-Tem Chuck Winder said Tuesday that the staffer was infected by a family member outside the Statehouse and that she tested positive on Saturday.

Winder added that, while senators who get sick can name substitutes, the Senate would not be able to function without staffers if an outbreak occurred among them.

There was always concern something like this would happen.

Democratic leaders asked Republicans to delay the session until April to allow for more lawmakers to get vaccinated. And two House lawmakers have repeatedly asked for stricter coronavirus protections at the Statehouse. They even filed a lawsuit over it.

But masks and social distancing have never been mandatory at the Statehouse - which is why the oldest member of Idaho's House of Representatives has chosen to keep his distance from the state Capitol so far.

"If there's something going on, I'll be here," Rep. Fred Wood said. "But if it's just treading water early on like a lot of sessions, then I'll work from home."

The 75-year-old Republican from Burley is not taking any chances this Legislative session.  As a retired physician, he knows the risks of being exposed to COVID-19 all too well.

"I think that when history judges how we as a country and we as a society dealt with this pandemic, we're going to get a very low grade," Wood said. "And the reason is because early on so much of this was politicized instead of looking at it from a purely scientific point of view.

"Science knows full well what to do with contagious disease outbreaks, particularly once we know what the characteristic of that outbreak is," Wood added. "Now, early on in this outbreak, we didn't know that. But since we've learned those lessons, science tells us exactly what to do. And we've simply not been doing that."

Monday's memo from the secretary of the Senate urged lawmakers to "practice techniques that we have been taught during this pandemic."

But despite that warning, members could be seen on the Senate floor on Tuesday not wearing masks and not practicing social distancing.

"That's what I'm concerned about," Wood said. "That's exactly right."

Wood isn't the only one with serious concerns about a possible outbreak at the Statehouse.

Democratic Reps. Muffy Davis of Ketchum and Sue Chew of Boise filed a lawsuit against Republican leadership, asking for special accommodations while in session. A judge rejected it. 

And this week, the House voted along party lines to deny their request to work remotely. Davis is a paraplegic. Chew has diabetes.

"They have a higher risk profile, I think," Wood said. "And I think they certainly have every bit of legitimate concern for their own health and safety. Apparently, negotiations are still going on, and hopefully, they'll get some resolution to that."

As for the COVID-19 case, Wood said, as of this morning, he's been given very few details.

"I've heard that there are a couple of people that are out, home with documented COVID," he said. "Depending upon what variant it is, etc., depends upon the transmissibility of it. So I don't know what that is at this point in time. I don't know how wide that exposure is."

Winder told KTVB late Tuesday afternoon that he does not know whether anyone was exposed or how many people may have been exposed. He said no one has been sent home or asked to quarantine.

He added that Senate attache staff were being tested on Tuesday. Anyone in the Senate or their staff can get tests on Wednesday if they choose to do so.

He said masks and social distancing still are not mandated in the Senate chambers. But they are highly encouraged.

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