Chouteau County adopts mask policy

Chouteau County Health Department announced Tuesday the county has adopted a mask policy, as vaccinations continue in the area and local health departments are starting to build lists for the next phase.

The Chouteau County Health Department posted on its Facebook page that the county Board of Health Tuesday approved its proposed mask policy, which encourages county residents to wear cloth masks indoors and outdoors when social distancing is not possible.

The policy also says Chouteau County businesses will be supported in their efforts to adopt the mask policy they feel best protects their employees and customers, and that the health department will require masks in its building until new cases in the county are at fewer than two new cases a week for two months or until 51 percent of county residents are fully vaccinated.

“The Chouteau County Health Department will continue to support local businesses in their attempts to keep the community safe by providing guidance, education and information as requested,” the post says.

Hill County Board of Health approved a mask mandate last week, to take the place of a statewide mask mandate Gov. Greg Gianforte rescinded.

And the vaccination clinics are ongoing, with Chouteau County holding a clinic today and planing to hold another next week. The department asks people to call to get on its list so it knows how much vaccine to request.

And local health departments are getting prepared for when the state moves into its next phases of the COVID-19 vaccinations, asking people who want vaccinations to call and get their names on lists, as the Hill County Health Department is still is trying to fill slots for its Phase 1B clinic Thursday.

The Hill County Health Department is asking eligible people to call 400-2369 as soon as possible to get scheduled.

See more on Thursday’s clinic below.

Phase 1A focused primarily on front-line health care workers with a high risk of exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19, novel coronavirus 2019 or Sars-CoV-2, and other health care workers at high risk of exposure.

In January, the state moved into Phase 1B, amended from the original vaccination schedule to include people 70 and older, people ages 16-69 with qualifying underlying health conditions and Native Americans and other people of color at high risk of severe illness.

The state is still finishing Phase 1B, but the Blaine and Hill county health departments are making lists in advance so when the state enters the next phase they are ready.

And while numbers of new cases and deaths have dropped from where they were in the fall and early winter, the vaccinations come as the state and nation enter a grim new phase of the disease.

Johns Hopkins University of Medicine reported Monday the nation had confirmed more than a half-million COVID-19-related deaths, and the number by early this morning had grown to 502,837 deaths reported on the university’s COVID-19 dashboard.

The website reports that 28,263,906 cases have been confirmed in the U.S.

In Montana, the state dashboard this morning reported 99,242 confirmed cases in Montana with 209 new cases and 1,348 total deaths.

Hill County reports a total of 1,889 confirmed cases and 40 deaths, and the state COVID-19 tracking map this morning reported 699 cases in Blaine County with 24 deaths, 485 cases in Chouteau County with five deaths and 188 cases in Liberty County with one death.

People are urged to keep the transmission of the virus down while vaccinations proceed by wearing masks in public, avoiding large gatherings, staying home if possible, staying at least six feet from other people when out in public and regularly washing their hands and cleaning and disinfecting surfaces.

More options are coming up for more people to get vaccinated, with Havre’s Western Drug Pharmacy announcing it received a shipment of the Moderna vaccine and is scheduling appointments for vaccinations, and Gary & Leo’s Health Mart reports it is approved and on a waiting list and is just waiting on allocations on the vaccine to start scheduling appointment.

Fort Belknap Indian Community also put out another call for people to get vaccinated, with a post on the tribal council’s Facebook page saying COVID-19 vaccinations were available for the general public 18 years old and older.

The post said walk-ins are welcome at all locations or people can call Bryar at 353-3219 to schedule an appointment. Walk-ups also are welcome for the mobile units in Lodge Pole and Zortman, the post said, adding, “Help keep Fort Belknap safe!”

Rocky Boy Health Center posted earlier this month that it was entering Phase 5 of its vaccination plan beginning Feb. 16. That includes the members of all previous phases and all other Rocky Boy residents and non-residents eligible for services at the center, 18 and older. People can call 395-1655 or 395 1641 to schedule a vaccination, the Facebook post said.

And county health departments are starting their lists for the next phase of vaccinations.

Hill County Health Department said Tuesday afternoon it wants to start building its list for the next phase.

Health Director and Hill County Health Officer Kim Larson said the department is still in the 1B phase and cannot move to Phase 1C until the state authorizes that, but the department wants to start building its call list for when the change happens.

People are urged to call 400-2369 immediately to get on that list.

Blaine County Health Department is also taking calls from people to prepare for the next phases of vaccinations. It announced on its Facebook page that it is accepting calls from all people who want to be vaccinated and will schedule appointments as vaccine availability and phases allow. People can call 357-2345 to get on its list.

People eligible in Phase 1C includes anyone eligible in previous schedules and

• People 60 years and older

• Frontline essential workers

• Individuals residing in

congregate care and correctional facilities

• People ages 16-59 with certain medical conditions:

- Asthma, moderate to severe

- Cerebrovascular disease

- Cystic Fibrosis

- Hypertension

- Immunocompromised state due to blood/bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, or other immune weakening medications

- Neurologic conditions

- Liver disease

- Overweight (BMI >25 but <40)

- Pulmonary Fibrosis

- Thalassemia

People eligible for Phase 1C are urged to call 400-2369 immediately to get on the list for the vaccinations in that phase.

With the spaces still available in the Phase 1B clinic set for Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Havre, any eligible people, from Phase 1A or 1B who have not yet received their first shot, can call 400-2369 to take a spot at that clinic.

People eligible under Phase 1B are people 70 and older, people 16 to 69 with qualifying underlying illness and Native Americans and other people of color believed to be at higher risk from COVID-19, will continue until April.

The eligible underlying qualifying conditions for people ages 16-69 are:

• Cancer

• Chronic kidney disease

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD

• Down Syndrome

• Heart conditions such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies

• Immunocompromised state - weakened immune system - from solid organ transplant

• Severe obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2)

• Sickle cell disease

• Types 1 and 2 diabetes

• On a case-by-case basis, medical providers may include individuals with other conditions that place them at elevated risk for COVID-19 related complications.