More deaths, feds approve vaccine for kids 5 and up

As the federal government approves COVID-19 vaccinations for children 5 and older, more COVID-19-related deaths are being reported in the area.

Hill County Health Department reported another death in the county in its update Tuesday, and another COVID-19-related death has been added to the total in Blaine County through the reconciliation process conducted by Montana Department of Health and Human Services.

Deb Anderson of the Blaine County Health Department said the death occurred some time ago.

It was discovered through the reconciliation process, where DPHHS reviews death certificates and other information to update and confirm the counts of COVID-19-related deaths in Montana. The department has found numerous additional deaths in the state through that process in the past year.

The death brings the total COVID-19-related deaths in Blaine County to 27, with Hill County now at 64.

The COVID-19-related death count in Chouteau County is at eight, with two in Liberty County.

The reports follow Hill County listing three more COVID-19-related deaths Friday evening.

Since Havre Daily News again began tracking daily numbers Aug. 6 after the delta variant-driven surge hit the area, Blaine, Chouteau, Hill and Liberty counties all have reported more COVID-19-related deaths, 45 total.

The four counties have reported 2,142 new confirmed COVID-19 cases since Aug. 6.

Statewide, the online COVID-19 tracking map update this morning reported 2,396 deaths since the pandemic hit Montana in March 2020, with 423 new deaths reported since Aug. 6.

The state reported 356 active hospitalizations with 9,052 active cases and 178,980 cumulative cases, 61,098 since Aug. 6.

Locally, Hill County Health Department lists 11 active hospitalizations and Blaine County Health Department lists one. Information on hospitalizations in Chouteau and Liberty county are not listed on the state tracking map.

The surge also is ramping up in Blaine and Chouteau counties.

Blaine County listed 33 new cases from Wednesday through Saturday, then 24 more Monday and Tuesday. The county has 82 active cases.

The state map listed 19 in Chouteau County Monday, 10 Tuesday and 12 more this morning, putting its active case count at 45.

Hill County has 63 active cases and Liberty County was listed with nine.

As the surge continues, eligibility of COVID-19 vaccines continues to expand. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved emergency authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine Friday for children 5 to 11, and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention set guidelines for those vaccinations Tuesday. Officials hope the expansion of the eligibility will rapidly increase the number of people vaccinated in the U.S., including Montana, and reduce the pool of people likely to catch and spread the virus that causes COVID-19.

And booster shots have been approved for all of the U.S. approved vaccines for eligible groups.

Northern Montana Health Care is holding clinics for booster vaccinations for eligible people from noon to 5 p.m. today and noon to 7 p.m. Thursday in Havre's Holiday Village Mall.

People can use any of the vaccines for a booster regardless of the vaccine they originally received.

People who received Pfizer or Moderna vaccines must wait at least six months from their last shot, and people who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine must wait at least two months since their shot.

People who are eligible are anyone 65 or older, people 18 and older who live in long-term care settings, people 18 and older with qualifying underlying conditions and people 18 and older who live or work in high-risk settings.

During the surge, health officials have continued the message they have given basically from the start of the pandemic.

People should stay home if they don't feel well, the officials say, should regularly wash their hands for at least 20 seconds with soap or with a hand sanitizer including at least 60 percent alcohol, should regularly wash and sanitize surfaces, should wear a mask when in indoor public spaces, and anyone who can should get vaccinated.

Booster shots and initial vaccinations are available at many locations in the area.

In Hill County, vaccinations 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, 406-395-1655.

Vaccinations are available in Blaine County through Blaine County Health Department, 406-357-2345, and Fort Belknap Health Center, 406-353-3219.

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.