Hill County Health Board discusses school re-openings and statewide surge in COVID-19 update

The Hill County Health Department held its weekly COVID-19 update last Friday where members discussed Havre Public Schools proposed re-opening plans and the statewide rise in COVID-19 cases, as well as the upcoming flu season.

Hill County Health Officer Jessica Sheehy, who has announced her resignation effective Oct. 1, said the county continues to see fluxes of cases as the health department continues to contact trace.

She said Montana as a whole is seeing a rise in cases with records continuing to be set.

“We’re certainly seeing increases in cases across Montana,” Sheehy said. “The week of Sept. 14th through the 20th we had the largest increase in cases to date.”

The numbers have gone up significantly in Hill County after Friday’s meeting, with 24 new cases confirmed in Hill County including 19 new cases Sunday.

Sheehy said large gatherings are one of the primary causes of this increase in cases statewide, along with new cases being found in prisons and long-term care facilities.

Sheehy said people should continue to be extremely careful and follow recommendations made by public health especially going into flu and cold season.

She said the health department is starting to offer flu vaccinations and said people interested should keep their eyes out for the clinics the department will be organizing.

Hill County Public Health Director Kim Larson said the department hasn’t received its stock of high-dose flu vaccines, usually intended for the elderly, but those should arrive this this week, or next week at the latest according to the manufacturer.

She said the department is also advertising to hire an immunization nurse for off-site flu clinics.

Larson said she recently received a plan from the Havre Public Schools Board of Trustees for further re-opening their institutions.

Havre Public Schools Interim-Superintendent Craig Mueller discussed this plan at a meeting of the board last Tuesday. The plan would involve student’s returning to in-person classes four or five days a week.

Larson said during Friday’s meeting that her department is getting an official recommendation ready, which should be completed early this week.

She said there has already been one case in Sunnyside Intermediate School, which resulted in 28 people needing to be quarantined.

Larson said those numbers would increase significantly as social distancing in schools decreases.

“Without those social distancing measures in place, that number would easily be three times that much,” she said.

At the meeting of the public school board last week, Mueller said social distancing would become virtually impossible if students were to return to class four or more days a week.

Larson said Friday Havre Public Schools is doing an excellent job protecting their students and staff, and appreciates their hard work.

Hill County Attorney Karen Alley said it has been a quiet week in terms of enforcement, and Hill County Sanitarian-in-Training Will Lorett said his office had only received one complaint this week, which is being handled.

Hill County Commissioner Mike Wendland thanked Sheehy for her service to the county as this would be the last COVID-19 update she would be participating in.

“We appreciate her doing these calls, she’s always been so professional,” he said. “We appreciate all she has done with the health department and we wish he well.”

Sheehy said, despite the times, she has enjoyed being with the department.

“I’ll miss my time with you all, believe it or not,” she said.

Wendland said the next COVID-19 update call will be Friday at 1 p.m.