Renowned physician Dr. David Pate shares his expertise on the most pressing issues facing Idaho public schools in the face of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. Recently retired as CEO of the St. Luke’s Health System, Dr. Pate is advising the West Ada School District, among others, about safety plans and protocols, testing, tracing, and data collection.
Among the crucial issues we touched on with Dr. Pate that will be of great interest to professional educators, district leaders, parents, and patrons are:
Can Idaho schools achieve both in-person instruction and safe working and learning environments?
What does an effective safety plan look like?
How accurate is COVID-19 data being reported by districts?
How effective are face masks? What about face shields?
What role do sports and extracurricular activities play in the spread of the virus?
What is the timeline for vaccines? How effective will they be?
How concerned should we be about Idaho’s hospital and medical capacity?
At a time when misinformation is everywhere and reliance on knowledgeable medical experts is in short supply, this interview provides insight from one of Idaho’s top medical professionals.