Montana state health department spokesperson Jon Ebelt says the state is ordering vaccines in anticipation of the approval, but didn’t say how many. He says providers could receive the vaccines by June 21, which is the earliest they could be administered following approval.
Not a single project has begun despite the omicron surge that led to a new outbreak of COVID cases among Montana State Prison inmates in January. That delay has left weak points within Montana’s secure facilities.
Gov. Greg Gianforte is urging unvaccinated health care workers to consider using religious and medical exemptions in order to meet Monday's federal vaccine mandate deadline. He says health care workers should evaluate all their options.
The district, citing falling case counts and improved attendance, is removig the face covering requirement that’s been in place since it was reimplemented in August.
In a few short months, states have gone from donating surplus rapid COVID-19 tests to states with shortages to hoarding them as demand driven by the spike in cases strains supplies.
A University of Montana economist estimates $35 million has been spent in the state caring for preventable COVID-19 hospitalizations among the unvaccinated.