Rocky Boy sets mass COVID-19 vaccination clinic

A major COVID-19 vaccination clinic has been announced in the region at the same time that a reminder the virus that causes the disease is still in the area and still a danger.

Rocky Boy Health Center announced a mass vaccination clinic set for Wednesday at the Stone Child College vo-tech building.

At the same time, Northern Montana Health Care sent a notice out to family members of residents Thursday saying an employee at Northern Montana Care Center tested positive for COVID-19 and the restriction on visitors to the facility remains in place.

“We share your frustration about our requirement to remain in ‘Outbreak’ protocol,” the message said. “We want you to know that we have a plan for reopening and welcoming visitors back into our facility.

“Unfortunately, we are unable to do that until we achieve 14 days without a new positive result,” the message continued.

The center had an outbreak in the late summer and fall with 35 residents testing positive and more than 15 residents dying.

No residents have tested positive in several months.

The positive test of the care center employee emphasizes what officials have been warning — even with declining numbers and the vaccine starting to roll out, the virus — including new varieties as it mutates — is still out there and rates could again climb.

Hill County reported seven new cases in a release Wednesday night and no new cases Thurday night.

Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, also reported on either the Blaine or Phillips county numbers, reported two new cases Thursday night. The state tracking map today listed Blaine County with one new case and Chouteau County with two new cases.

Officials urge people to continue to work to reduce transmission of the virus including by wearing cloth masks when out in public, avoiding large gatherings, regularly washing their hands, cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and staying home if they don’t need to be out.

Rocky Boy Health Center said its clinic is from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the college Wednesday, with all current residents 18 and older and all non-residents 18 and older if they have a current chart at the clinic are eligible.

People must bring the completed vaccination clinic form and insurance card to the clinic.

The form can be downloaded at https://rbclinic.org/news, a post on the health center’s Facebook page said.

Fort Belknap Indian Reservation held vaccine clinics Wednesday including in Lodge Pole and Zortman, and is urging people to get vaccinated so the Fort Belknap Indian Community will continue to get additional doses.

The release on Wednesday’s clinic said walk-ins were welcome, or people could call 353-3219 to make an appointment.

And clinics have been continuing in Blaine, Chouteau and Hill counties off the reservations and health departments are starting to build lists to make appointments when the state allows them to move to Phase 1C of the vaccine distribution.

See related story in Wednesday’s edition of Havre Daily News and online at http://www.havredailynews.com.

People can call the Blaine County Health Department at 357-2345 and the Hill County Health Department at 400-2369 to get on the vaccination lists.