Idaho Health Department Bans Giving COVID-19 Shots
- by Rishma Parpia
- Published
- Vaccines
In Idaho, the Southwest District’s Board of Health has voted to prohibit COVID-19 shots from being administered in its medical facilities, a regional public health department in Idaho, has been prohibited from administering COVID shots to residents in six counties along the Idaho-Oregon border.1 The regional public health department serves Adams, Canyon, Gem, Owyhee, Payette and Washington counties in the state.2
Board Votes to Remove COVID Shots Following Public Testimonies
In a public meeting on Oct. 22, 2024, the Southwest District’s Board of Health voted 4-3 to remove COVID shots from its facilities following approximately 290 public comments requesting the decision. The vote came after presentations by several medical doctors who have been criticized for questioning the safety and efficacy of the COVID shots.
Doctors presenting evidence that there are significant risks associated with COVID shots included Idaho pathologist Ryan Cole, MD, whose medical license was restricted in Washington after state regulators accused him of sharing misinformation about COVID-19.3
Other presenters, who participated via teleconference, included Peter McCullough, MD, a Texas cardiologist. Dr. McCullough’s whose medical credentials were challenged by the American Board of Internal Medicine in 2022.
In addition, Renata Moon, MD, a pediatrician suing Washington State University over her contract not being renewed after her testimony at a 2022 U.S. Senate panel on vaccines testified, as did and James Thorp, MD, an obstetrician-gynecologist featured in the documentary Died Suddenly. The Died Suddenly documentary highlights evidence that people are dying suddenly after receiving COVID shots.4
The doctors y were invited to participate in the meeting of the Southwest District Board of Health by John Tribble, MD, the only physician on the Southwest District Board of Health. The meeting began with a presentation from Perry Jansen, MD, a staff physician, who recommended that the COVID shots remain available through the district health offices. Dr. Jansen said:
We really serve as a safety net provider for people who can’t get health care in any other way, largely because of finances. We’re able to offer free and discounted services for people who don’t have access through private care.5
Although COVID shots are no longer free, public health departments can still purchase them at a discounted rate. While health insurance often covers the cost, individuals paying out-of-pocket would find the shots less expensive at their local health district clinic.6
Jansen attempted to discourage members from voting for the ban. He said:
Our request of the board is that we would be able to carry and offer those (vaccines), recognizing that we always have these discussions of risks and benefits. This is not a blind, everybody-gets-a-shot approach. This is a thoughtful approach.7
Reasons for COVID Shot Ban
More than 290 public comments were submitted, many advocating for an end to vaccine mandates and outrage over the use of taxpayer funds to purchase COVID shots.8 Board members supporting the decision argued that individuals can receive the COVID shots at other locations, and that offering the shots at district facilities could be seen as endorsing their safety.9
Board Chairman Kelly Aberasturi stated during the meeting that, while he supported the board’s decision, he was “disappointed.” He argued that the board had overstepped its role in the relationship between patients and their doctors, and warned that the decision could set a precedent for restricting other vaccines or treatments in the future.10
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