Vaccines

The bill as drafted would require schools to submit annual reports with anonymous numbers of fully vaccinated and exempted students in an effort to bolster public health officials’ ability to control outbreaks.

While Montana remains free of any confirmed cases of measles, public health officials in Montana say they also want to be prepared.

Health officials say local numbers in Yellowstone County reflect a nationwide rise in cases of whooping cough.

U.S. health officials recently approved a protein-based vaccine to protect against the most current COVID-19 variants, and it’s joining Montana’s line up of options.

Health experts urge parents to get their child's school vaccinations now. Those who aren't vaccinated on the first day of school will be sent home.

In 2021, Montana passed House Bill 702 — the first of its kind in the nation — which prohibited discrimination based on vaccine status in settings like employment, education, and health care. This year, lawmakers have introduced proposals to expand vaccine exemptions in schools and change criteria in the workplace and the legal system.

House Bill 702 had barred employers from mandating vaccines or requiring employees share their vaccine status. U.S. District Court Judge Donald Molloy ruled that it was unconstitutional and conflicted with federal law.

The Montana Supreme Court on Wednesday sent a legal challenge to a law banning vaccine mandates back to a lower court on a technicality. The decision is part of an ongoing legal battle over House Bill 702, which bans workplace vaccine requirements and discrimination based on vaccination status.

Law professors and attorneys said this appears to be the first time that pandemic-related laws have been challenged in court over an alleged infringement on tribal sovereignty.

Early indicators have state public health officials bracing for what could be a significant influenza season, prompting them to urge Montanans to get their flu shot in the coming weeks.