Nearly 40% of Park County residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, Park County Health Officer Dr. Laurel Desnick reported in her weekly video update Friday, and many more residents have received at least the first dose.
The supply of vaccine is strong and we have enough to vaccinate everyone in the county age 16 and over, Desnick said.
The Health Department, Livingston HealthCare, Western Drug, Osco Pharmacy at Albertsons, Community Health Partners and the Medcor Clinic at Mammoth are offering the COVID-19 vaccine.
Once a vaccine is approved for children age 12 and up, Desnick said, the county expects to have plenty available for kids who want to be vaccinated before the end of the school year.
Once people are vaccinated, Desnick said, life can open up a bit, with fully vaccinated people not having to quarantine if they come into contact with a positive COVID-19 case as long as they dont have symptoms, and they can feel confident gathering with friends and family without a mask.
You may even be comfortable enough to dine indoors in a restaurant or coffee shop as long as it does not feel overcrowded, Desnick said.
However, Desnick said, cases of COVID-19 among the non-vaccinated population continue to rise, with spread seemingly more among the young with the U.K. variant of the virus now in the area.
Park County is seeing new cases almost every day, Desnick said. One county resident, a woman in her 70s, died Thursday from COVID-19, and another is currently hospitalized with the virus, Desnick said Monday.
A total of 18 Park County residents have died from COVID-19, with 1,546 total deaths among Montanans.
Park County has reported 1,185 total COVID-19 cases during the pandemic, 38 of which are active. Statewide, there have been 107,202 reported COVID-19 cases, 1,008 of which are active.
Desnick recommended people continue to wear masks anywhere it is difficult to keep your distance from other people, and reminded the public Park Countys mask mandate is still in place.
As we get to the end of the school year, more people get vaccinated, and case numbers stabilize or drop, we continue to inch closer to a fun and safe summer, Desnick said.
