Vaccination clinics ongoing in area

With COVID-19 cases still trickling into the area, vaccination clinics are ongoing including for the 12-and-older age group.

Among the new cases last week was a case confirmed Friday in someone associated with Havre Public Schools. Superintendent Craig Mueller said in a release that people in the district had been exposed, and contact tracing had been completed.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week gave emergency authorization for use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children 12 to 15, the first time people that young have had a vaccine authorized.

Testing is underway on children ages six months to 11 years as well as for other vaccines for the 12 to 15 age range, but for the moment, Pfizer is the only vaccine authorized for people younger than 18.

The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson-Janssen vaccines have emergency authorization right now for people 18 and older.

And while CDC last week said people who are fully vaccinated generally do not need to wear masks, local jurisdictions and businesses are taking the option CDC set to continue their mask mandates. CDC and President Joe Biden said people, vaccinated or not, need to continue local and business requirements on masks.

Both Rocky Boy’s and Fort Belknap Indian reservations are continuing their mask mandates for the moment, and some local businesses also are continuing to require masks.

Rocky Boy and Fort Belknap have access to the Pfizer vaccine and have been offering it to the general public for several weeks, and also are bringing the vaccine to events off the reservations.

Hill County Health Department is conducting vaccinations Tuesday for people 18 and older with the Moderna vaccine.

Rocky Boy is bringing its new mobile clinic to Havre Wednesday with the Pfizer vaccine distributed at Holiday Village Mall parking lot from 2-6 p.m. Parents must accompany any children getting vaccinated.

Fort Belknap will be offering the vaccine to children 12 and older at the Northern Montana Health Care Flu Clinic from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

And all three vaccines will be available in Chinook Thursday at the Blaine County Fairground Commercial Building from 3 to 7 p.m. Ages 12 to 17 must have parental permission.