Bullock details local enforcement measures in press conference

Gov. Steve Bullock provided an update on local community efforts to combat COVID-19 during a press conference held Tuesday, where he again urged Montanans to work together to slow the spread of the virus.

Bullock said Yellowstone County hit 62 cases per 100,000 people last week and Billings is now in the top 20 metro areas in the U.S. in terms of cases.

He said local public health in the county has set a goal of bringing the rate of infection down to 40 cases per 100,000 and will implement additional measures will go into effect today to reach that goal.

These measures include limiting gatherings to 25 individuals regardless of social distancing feasibility or whether the event is indoors or outdoors.

Bullock said large gatherings not only increase transmission of the virus, but make contact tracing more difficult and time consuming for local public health, which is stretched thin in many counties already.

He said Flathead County is considering more measures as well in the coming week and also mentioned Hill County, citing the area's rapidly increasing case number.

"The Hill County Health Board is currently looking for input on what measure they should be taking after they've been setting records in cases over the past week," he said.

Many tribal communities are in lockdown as well, Bullock said.

Both Rocky Boy and Fort Belknap Indian Reservations are in lockdown this week.

Bullock said public health guidelines like social distancing, wearing a mask, proper hand hygiene and staying home when sick not only protect fellow citizens and health care workers from exposure, but increase the likelihood that businesses and schools can stay open.

Harlem, Box Elder and Rocky Boy schools are in distanced learning only, and the Havre school board voted Tuesday to put the Havre public schools into distanced learning for two weeks.

Hospitals filling

Bullock said hospitals around the state are becoming increasingly full at the virus spreads through Montana.

"Hospitals around our state are reaching or are already at capacity due to the influx of COVID-19 cases," he said.

Bullock said the country has witnessed just how bad it can get when the hospitals become full and that doesn't need to happen in Montana, but it is an increasing possibility if the virus isn't taken seriously.

"Montana is not immune to this reality, just as we are not immune to this virus," he said.

He said Montana isn't the only place in the country where this is happening, and that 31 states reported more COVID-19 cases last week than the previous week.

"We can't do much about the rest of the nation," he said, "But we can always do more here at home."

Montana State Medical Officer Gregory Holzman also talked about the situation with hospitals in the state.

The Trump administration recently put out the suggestion that hospitals in danger of reaching capacity should put expansion plans in place, and Holzman said those facilities he's been in contact with are looking to bolster surge capacity, possibly using staff beds.

He said such planning is still on-going.

Holzman also said he's concerned that the staffing issues many hospitals have been seeing due to workers being quarantined themselves will continue and get worse as COVID-19 surges in the state.

Restrictions still in place

Bullock reminded Montanans that restrictions are still in place on bars and restaurants' capacity and crowd gathering sizes and that local public health has the power to enforce them, something he acknowledges is not always easy.

He said he has yet to hear any local public health officials ask him if he would put stricter statewide measures back in place, but they have asked for guidance and assistance in enforcement.

Bullock said he's heard from local public health and businesspeople that compliance with state and local restrictions is very lax in many areas of the state.

He said public health officers can issue orders against specific bad actors and county attorneys can file civil injunctions against them if they choose.

Bullock said these measures taken against the worst offenders in a community can have a knock-on effect and act as a deterrent to others in the community.

The evidence indicates that the orders can lower infection rates in the community not just by penalizing the offending business, but by sending the message to others that it's in their best interest to follow the rules, he said, comparing the situation to police handing out speeding tickets.

Bullock acknowledged that if public health doesn't have the support of the state, they can find themselves unable to act in the community's best interest.

"There's no expectation that every violation of a health order can be or should be remedied through the issuing of a health order enforcement," he said. "But our public health officials find themselves helpless to combat the virus if they don't receive the support that Montana law guarantees them."

Bullock said the state would be looking at making resources available for places facing enforcement problems in the form of CARES Act dollars if needs be.

He said the state is also creating a template for local public health and county attorneys to issue orders to make the process easier so they can focus on normal law enforcement activities, which have not gone away amid the pandemic.

He said areas with higher numbers of COVID-19 cases should be especially sure that public health orders are being followed and he wants to make sure the state gives them the support they need to do that.

Bullock said it's important to note that these enforcement measures are not always needed, and based on what he's heard most non-compliant businesses only need a call and education from their local health department to get things back on track.

Holzman also commented on the effectiveness of enforcement.

He said a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the number of cases in Arizona stabilized and decreased after two weeks of sustained enforcement of state and local guidelines and directives.

The enforcement did entail the closure of businesses violating the guidelines and directives, but the speed at which the change happened is evidence Montana should take to heart.

"We have the data, we don't really need to wait and see it happen here," Holzman said. "Instead let's learn from those around us."

Bullock said he will likely hold another press conference later this week to provide further updates on the state of COVID-19 in Montana.