Health
Southwest Idaho Health District Board pulls COVID vaccines from its clinics

Boise State Public Radio News | By Julie Luchetta, Troy Oppie
Published October 23, 2024 at 2:01 PM MDT

Residents in the Southwest Idaho Health District will no longer be able to get vaccinated against COVID-19 at District Health offices. ... The District’s Board of Health voted 4-3 Tuesday to remove the COVID-19 vaccines from its facilities after receiving around 300 public comments urging them to do so. The board vote followed anti-vaccine presentations from multiple doctors widely accused of spreading conspiracy theories and misinformation, including Idaho pathologist Dr. Ryan Cole.

Other presenters joined by teleconference, including Dr. Peter McCullough, a Texas-based cardiologist who had his medical certifications threatened by the American Board of Internal Medicine in 2022, pediatrician Dr. Renata Moon, who has sued Washington State University over free speech when the school did not renew her contract after an appearance before a 2022 U.S. Senate panel questioning vaccines, and Dr. James Thorp, an OB/GYN who was featured in the conspiracy-laden and widely debunked documentary 'Died Suddenly.'

They were invited to participate by the only physician on the Southwest District board of health, Dr. John Tribble. The board initially heard a presentation from a district staff physician, Dr. Perry Jansen, who recommended keeping the vaccine available through the health district offices. ... "We really serve as a safety net provider for people who can't get health care in any other way, largely because of finances," Jansen told the board. "We're able to offer free and discounted services for people who don't have access through private care." ... COVID-19 vaccines are no longer free, but public health departments can purchase them at a discount. Health insurance often covers the cost of the shots, but anyone paying out-of-pocket would pay less at their local health district clinic.

Many public comments received by the board expressed outrage at local tax dollars supporting COVID-19 vaccine distribution, but Jansen reminded the board that people who want the shots pay for them, either through insurance coverage or in cash, and the health district is not subsidizing the costs in any way. ... Board chair Kelly Aberasturi questioned the authority of the board to remove vaccines for everyone, saying many going to the District for COVID vaccines are referred by their doctor. ... “So now, you're telling me that I have the right to override that doctor? Because I know more than he does?” Aberasturi said. ... "It has to do with the right of the individual to make that decision on their own. Not for me to dictate to them what they will do. Sorry, but this pisses me off," he added. ... Tribble disagreed, saying the COVID vaccines had not been proven to be safe. ... “They show up at the door, trusting us, and we continue to break that trust by saying, tacitly or otherwise, that these things, there's no risk from these.”

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Julie Luchetta
I joined Boise State Public Radio in 2022 as the Canyon County reporter through Report for America, to report on the growing Latino community in Idaho. I am very invested in listening to people’s different perspectives and I am very grateful to those who are willing to share their stories with me. It’s a privilege and I do not take it for granted.
See stories by Julie Luchetta

Troy Oppie
Troy Oppie is a reporter and local host of 'All Things Considered' for Boise State Public Radio News.
See stories by Troy Oppie