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Flathead County has become Montana’s COVID-19 hotspot in recent weeks, with the region now reporting about 30% of the state’s active workload.
Public health experts attribute the increase to low vaccination rates and the presence of a new, more infectious strain of the virus.
State data shows Montana currently has nearly 700 active cases of COVID-19, with Flathead County accounting for 210 of those cases. The area with the second highest number of cases is Yellowstone County, where there are 106 active cases.
Joe Russell, head of health for the Flathead City-County health department, said the valley has seen a steady increase in the number of cases and hospitalizations in recent weeks. Logan Health spokeswoman Mellody Sharpton said 14 people are currently hospitalized with issues related to COVID-19; that number has fluctuated from 10 to 14 over the past week.
Russell explained that many people test positive for the Delta variant, a strain which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, first appeared in populated India and is more transmissible than other previous variants. Health officials announced on Tuesday that the Delta variant now accounts for 83% of new coronavirus cases and is moving rapidly through the country’s unvaccinated population.
IN FLAT HEAD In the county, nearly 89,000 people are eligible to receive the vaccine, but only 38% are fully immune. By comparison, state data shows Yellowstone County has vaccinated 46% of its eligible population, Gallatin County has vaccinated 55%, Missoula County is 60%, and Cascade County is 43%. .
“There is no question that the Delta variant is circulating in our community, and yes, I am very concerned about that,” said Russell. “We are about to go back to where we were last year with this virus. This is how contagious it can be.
Russell pointed out that people who are fully vaccinated have a good chance against the strain, according to current research. And in case they catch the new variant, the symptoms should be quite mild.
Since Flathead County’s vaccination efforts began in December 2020, Russell said the health department had only recorded 43 cases of the ‘breakthrough’. In other words, these people were all considered fully vaccinated at the time they tested positive for COVID-19.
All told, this means that less than 0.002% of Flathead County’s vaccinated population contracted the virus after being immunized – a statistic that Russell hopes to restore people’s confidence in the overall effectiveness of vaccines and inspire more people. to get vaccinated.
“Anyone who is vaccinated right now, research shows they have a very good chance of being protected from this strain,” Russell said. “We’re seeing good alignment in terms of these vaccines doing what they’re supposed to do.”
NON-VACCINATED PERSUADING people to get vaccinated is one of the biggest hurdles Flathead County faces in keeping its caseload under control. But there are many factors that stand in the way of the health service’s ability to come close to collective immunity, which experts say is typically achieved when 70% of the population is vaccinated.
As an example, Russell acknowledged that the valley is home to a large population of Republicans, many of whom he says tend to be more reluctant to get vaccinated. The idea that there is a political divide in immunization rates has been the subject of numerous studies and investigations, including those conducted by Pew Trust, Harvard University and the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Looking specifically at Flathead County, the Montana Secretary of State’s office shows that about 34% of the electorate voted for President Joe Biden in 2020 – a figure not too far off the vaccination rate of 38% of the county, suggesting that those who vote Democratic are more likely to be vaccinated. As another example, 61% of the Missoula County electorate voted for Biden, who is only 1% off his current 60% vaccination rate.
“I think it’s well known that conservative areas have lower rates,” Russell said. “We have been put in a very difficult situation and I have a firm belief that we have literally the best tools and systems available to keep this transmission low, but people still will not be vaccinated.”
Politics aside, Russell also said the valley will face challenges in the coming months as people participate in big summer events and gatherings.
For example, the health department has already determined that a handful of new cases likely came from the Under the Big Sky festival that took place last weekend. Russell predicts Flathead County will experience a major peak after the three-day music event, which drew about 20,000 people to Whitefish.
“Months ago when our cases were down and someone asked me what would bring them back up, I then said it would be event-driven,” Russell said. “Large gatherings will influence these numbers and it is the unvaccinated people who will be primarily affected. “
All Montanais aged 12 and over are eligible to receive appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine. Those interested in getting the vaccine can submit a request form on the Flathead City-County Health Department website (flatheadhealth.org) and a staff member will contact you to make an appointment. The health department’s COVID-19 hotline can also be reached at 406-751-8119.
Journalist Kianna Gardner can be reached at [email protected].
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