COVID surge continues to impact area

With the COVID surge still bringing in new cases of the illness, local groups and organizations continue to be impacted.

For the second week in a row, Montana Actors' Theatre is pushing back its production of "Monty Python's Spamalot," also requiring the troupe to adjust its schedule later in the season, and COVID is back in Northern Montana Care Center.

Northern Montana Health Care Vice President of Regulatory and Community Services Christen Obresley said they continue to do serial testing at the center, and have found five residents who are positive for COVID-19. All of those residents are asymptomatic, she added, and 16 of the center's staff are positive, with all but three of those asymptomatic.

"We continue to follow our outbreak protocols and our infection prevention program," Obresley said. "The Care Center is still open to visitation. If anyone wants to visit a loved one at the Care Center, they are asked to enter through the south door, self-screen at the kiosk and proceed to the resident's room. Three people are allowed to visit at one time in the resident's room."

The surge also has put schools into online learning or closed them, and has led to Fort Belknap Indian Reservation going into lockdown.

And the push continues to get more people vaccinated. Havre's Dr. Carly Robertson, president of the Montana Medical Association, issued an opinion piece, printed on page A4 of today's Havre Daily News, urging people to get vaccinated.

Chouteau County Health Department is holding a children's vaccination clinic Tuesday of next week, and said in a Facebook post it is trying to fill a few more slots for 5- to 11-year-olds. People can call 406-622-3771 to set an appointment.

The message from public health on the national-, state- and local-level has remained the same for the past year. Vaccination is the best way for people to protect themselves and their loved ones.

The vaccines for COVID-19 have remained effective at preventing hospitalization and death throughout the pandemic and the rollout of boosters for the vaccines provide an extra layer of protection that drastically reduces the chances of people getting seriously ill.

Aside from vaccination, much of the same procedures are still recommended to slow the spread of the virus, including omicron. Wearing masks while in public areas is still a key way to slow the spread of - and reduce the chance of contracting - the virus, with recommended masks still effective at reducing the spread of the variants of the virus, including omicron.

Avoiding being in large groups of people outside of a person's household when possible also will reduce the chance of contracting the virus, as will regular handwashing and people covering their coughs and sneezes with a tissue or their elbow.

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.