COVID numbers continue to surge

Another school has closed its classrooms this week due to illness as COVID-19 new cases continue to surge, although both the closure of Sunnyside Intermediate School and St. Jude Thaddeus School are due to a number of illnesses, officials say.

Havre Public Schools announced Wednesday that Sunnyside Intermediate School would transition to remote learning today and Friday due to staff shortages, although meals still will be provided.

A remote plan is in place for staff, students and parents.

Superintendent Craig Mueller said COVID-related student absences are high, but so are absences related to other respiratory and flu issues across the district.

St. Jude Thaddeus School also announced this week it was closing until next Tuesday - St. Jude's and the Havre schools including Sunnyside were scheduled to be closed Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day - but Principal Katie Kopp also said the lack of students was due to a variety of illnesses with no confirmed COVID cases causing the absences there.

Mueller issued a release this morning saying five more COVID cases in people associated with the Havre public school district were confirmed Wednesday, with one case confirmed Monday and seven more Tuesday.

Mueller said the district is concerned about other schools having to transition to remote learning and is closely monitoring staff health across the district.

He said the closure of Sunnyside's classrooms is due to a combination of staff absences.

"We continue to ask paraprofessionals to cover for teacher absences, and when we cannot fill paraprofessional absences and we are utilizing staff outside of their areas of specialty, it is an issue," Mueller said. "Staff filling in for one another has been happening for the last two years. We were in a place at Sunnyside where we are hoping with two remote days we will return healthy as a staff and student body on Tuesday. We have every expectation to return on Tuesday."

Meals were still offered at Sunnyside today and Friday, with students able to pick up grab-and-go meals, breakfast and lunch, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the west service door at the school. The student's name will need to be provided.

Other schools have been having issues as well. Great Falls Public Schools reported Monday 125 staff members out with COVID-19-related illness with substitute fill rate less than 46 percent, which meant that there were roughly 54 classrooms without substitutes across the district. It announced the district was closing for the rest of the week with hopes of re-opening after the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

The numbers continue to go up in the region. Hill County Health Department issued an update Wednesday saying 22 new cases were reported for Hill County with 20 others considered recovered, with 53 active cases in the county.

Blaine County Health Department reported Wednesday that it was notified of 11 new cases with three recoveries and 26 active cases in the county.

Numbers for Chouteau and Liberty counties were not available by printing deadline this morning.

The omicron variant that is driving the surge across the country and increasing in Montana is believed to be much more contagious, with a good chance of breakthrough cases in people who have been vaccinated or have had COVID previously. While it appears to be less likely to cause serious illness and death, it is still dangerous and can be deadly. With the increased number of cases due to its transmissibility, numbers of hospitalization and deaths are rapidly increasing.

People who are vaccinated, especially if they have received booster shots, are much less likely to have serious symptoms although it is believed they still can carry and transmit the virus.

The recommendations for the omicron variant remain the same as for previous variants, especially getting vaccinated and getting a booster when eligible.

Wearing masks when in public areas also is crucial to slow the spread of the variant, medical officials say, as is regular hand washing and avoiding large groups of people when possible.

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.