Researchers & Businesses Help Boost COVID-19 Testing Capacity In Montana
Even with vaccine doses rolling out, testing is still critical for tracing and containing the coronavirus. But
throughout 2020
, the White House Coronavirus Task Force consistently said that Montana wasn’t testing enough to contain the spread. Now, institutions statewide have set up their own testing, and are reporting the results to county health departments. So they’ll drive up to the teller window here and speak to one of our friendly staff.
Daniel Bierschwale is the executive director of the Big Sky Resort Area District, a group administrating a defined tax area streching into Gallatin and Madison counties. He was in front of an old bank in Big Sky. The building hasn t functioned as a bank in about a year, but it has found new use as a COVID test collection site.
Just hours after new Montana Governor Greg Gianforte announced that he had repealed many of the state s current COVID-19 mandates effective Friday, the Gallatin County Health Board said not so fast.
The governor said he is rolling back restrictions on bars, restaurants, and casinos, which were set down by his predecessor Steve Bullock. Gianforte s directive (Executive Order 2-2021) is not changing anything in regards to masks at this time. Click here to read the governor s full set of directives.
Wednesday afternoon, the Gallatin County Health Department issued a statement affirming that county health boards supersede governor directives and that nothing would be changing here in Gallatin County. Here is the statement in full:
Montana's Attorney General backs the Rockin R. Plus, with Gallatin County keeping their restrictions in place, we spoke with Rockin R' owner Mike Hope.