COVID cases rising as vaccination campaign launches

With the omicron variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 sweeping across the country and numbers of cases rising in the state and this region, a group is launching a campaign to get younger children vaccinated.

A release said The Montana Medical Association has partnered with nine other trusted Montana health care and public health associations to launch the "Your Best Shot MT" campaign to help answer parents' vaccine questions and increase COVID-19 vaccination rates in Montana.

The goal is to connect Montana parents and guardians with reliable, up-to-date information and data about getting Montana's children and adolescents, ages 5 and older, vaccinated against COVID-19, the release said. The campaign features Montana physicians discussing the safety and effectiveness of the well-tested vaccine.

"COVID-19 does not play by the rules. It is important for families to get the best up-to-date information so they can make informed decisions to protect their children from infection and serious health outcomes," said MMA President Carley C. Robertson M.D. of Havre. "The COVID-19 vaccine is an important defense against this virus. That's why we've partnered with Montana's most trusted health care organizations to launch this resource."

The campaign starts as numbers are rising.

Hill County Health Department reported in its update Wednesday 16 new cases confirmed in the county, bringing the number of active cases to 39.

Blaine County reported seven new cases with 16 active.

The state COVID-19 tracking map reported after its update this morning that Liberty County had five new cases with five active and Chouteau County had one new case with 10 active.

For the entire state, 1,194 new cases were reported with 5,460 active cases.

The vaccination campaign which includes digital videos, a website for parents and providers at https://yourbestshotmt.com and more, is intended to increase vaccinations at a crucial time, the release said.

"With the introduction of the omicron variant and as cold weather keeps families indoors and the holidays bring generations together, it is much easier for the virus to spread, including to our vulnerable populations and throughout our communities," the release said. "The vaccine protects children and adults from life disruptions and the undue risk of long-term and/or serious health outcomes. Additional resources to assist health care professionals in sharing evidence-based information on the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine will be added to the site over the next several weeks."

The MMA is joined by the Montana Public Health Association, Montana Pharmacy Association, Montana Nurses Association, Montana Academy of Family Physicians, Montana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Montana Primary Care Association, Montana Hospital Association, Montana Academy of Physician Assistants, and the Association of Montana Public Health Officials in support of the campaign.

"The vaccine has been very well studied. It is incredibly safe. It is much riskier to get COVID-19 than the vaccine. The vaccine is remarkably effective. In fact, it is one of our most effective vaccines in children. I think that all eligible kids should get vaccinated against COVID," Collette Chorney, M.D., a pediatrician in Butte, said in the release.

For more information on the Omicron variant, people can visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention page at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/variants/omicron-variant.html .

In Hill County, vaccinations and booster shots are available through Bullhook Community Health Center, 406-395-4305; the Hill County Health Department, 406-400-2415; Northern Montana Health Care's Specialty Medical Center at 406-265-7831 or its Family Medical Center at 406-265-5408; Western Drug Pharmacy, 406-265-9601; Gary & Leo's Pharmacy, which takes walk-ins; Walmart; and the Rocky Boy Health Center 406-395-4486.

The Blaine County Health Department, 406-357-2345, and the Fort Belknap Health Center, public health nurse 406-353-3250 and pharmacy at 406-353-3104, can schedule vaccinations and booster shots.

Vaccine is available in Chouteau County at the Chouteau County Health Department, 406-622-3771, and Big Sandy Pharmacy at 406-378-5588.

People can call Liberty County Health Department at 406-759-5517 to schedule a vaccination.