PANDHANDLE HEALTH DISTRICT, Idaho – Current COVID-19 case data from the Panhandle Health District (PHD) may not be an accurate representation of the reality of the situation in the region, according to a spokesperson.
PHD said they’re experiencing a backlog of cases for July and August. They attribute the jam to understaffing caused by the ” tight labor market and demobilization of the National Guard.”
“A back-log creates two significant issues,” Don Duffy, PHD interim director said. “First, when our team is swamped with cases, we are unable to contact everyone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Second, we only report the number of cases processed that day, so the public doesn’t see the actual situation. For example, last Friday, August 20, we reported 36 cases, but in reality, we had over 900 cases left to process. We have temporarily mobilized PHD staff away from their current responsibilities to quickly eliminate the back-log.”
PHD is currently hiring for multiple positions. If you’re looking to apply, start here.
