Little Shell providing COVID-19 testing for tribal members

Havre Daily News staff

The Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians has announced that, in partnership with Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, it is providing free COVID-19 testing to Little Shell tribal members.

The tribe will conduct and coordinate a safely managed drive-through testing Friday and Saturday this week, May 29-30, with the help of the Montana National Guard and Alluvion Health.

The testing will take place at the Little Shell Event center, 1529 Stuckey Road in Great Falls, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days, a press release about the testing said.

The Little Shell are among numerous tribes conducting testing of their members as more supplies and funds to do the testing become available.

Fort Belknap Indian Community held testing for its tribal members May 15-16, and the Chippewa Cree Tribe of Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation is holding testing Thursday and Friday.

The schedule at Rocky Boy is:

Thursday

Elders and at-risk people — 9-11 a.m.

Rocky Boy Health Center employees — 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Chippewa Cree Tribe employees — 1-3 p.m.

Friday

All in the community — 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Results of the tests can be expected within 72 hours, but only people who test positive will be contacted.

A $20 gift card will be given to each participant at the completion of their test.

Other tribes around the state also scheduled testing clinics.