Health Officials Advise Taking First Available Vaccine

Last Saturday, Feb. 27, the FDA gave Emergency Use Authorization for a single-dose COVID vaccine made by Johnson & Johnson. The vaccine uses a weakened cold virus to deliver genes for one of the COVID-19 virus’s key proteins, known as the spike protein – once in the cells, the viral protein activates the immune system. In contrast, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines use a strip of genetic material called messenger RNA to instruct cells to build the spiky protein found on the surface of the coronavirus. In both cases, the immune system learns to recognize the real virus by mustering an immune response to the spike.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was preceded by decades of research which attempted to find a vaccine for HIV, Zika and Ebola. When the COVID-19 problem came along, researchers were ready to put their knowledge to use to find a vaccine for coronavirus.

This vaccine shows a 66 percent efficacy overall at preventing moderate to severe COVID disease. The rate goes up to 72 percent efficacy at protecting against moderate to severe disease in the U.S. It is 85 percent effective at preventing severe illness. None of the subjects in the clinical trials were hospitalized or died, so it is 100 percent effective at preventing hospitalization and death, the two main outcomes that most people would like to avoid.

Clinical trial results for different vaccines cannot be directly compared because of differences in how the trials are designed and when and where they are conducted. Though less effective than the 90 percent plus effective vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna, the J & J shot was tested at the height of the pandemic and in areas of the world where the virus had changed in ways that can elude parts of the immune response.

The side effects of the J & J vaccine are mild to moderate fever, injection site pain, headache, muscle aches and nausea. There were no cases of anaphylaxis.

Again, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires only one dose.

We are in an urgent race to broaden immunity as variants that challenge the current vaccines spread across the world. So, which vaccine should you get? Public health officials underscore that getting more people vaccinated with ANY authorized vaccine is the priority.

If you have questions about COVID-19 or the vaccine, please email: covid19taskforce@ rooseveltcounty.org.

Area Statistics

According to the state website, Roosevelt County has 15 active cases and 1,505 total recovered cases. There have been 52 COVID-related deaths reported in the county.

As of Monday, March 1, Valley County’s active count was 20. There have been 806 recovered cases and 11 reported COVID-reported deaths.

Daniels County had two active cases as of Tuesday, March 2. The county has 187 recovered cases and 196 cumulative cases. Seven deaths have occurred due to COVID-19 and/or complications. There are no cases currently hospitalized.

In McCone County, there were two active cases as of Monday, March 1. There are 176 recovered cases. There has been one COVID-related death in the county.

The Phillips County Health Department was reporting four active cases as of Monday, March 1. Four hundred and eighty-three cases are listed as recovered. There are three active hospitalizations and 15 reported COVID-related deaths.

For Richland County, there are 17 active cases and 1,166 recovered cases as of Monday, March 1. Total deaths are 15. There are 30-plus contacts being monitored.

Statewide

According to Montana health officials, the state’s total number of known cases now stands at 100,003 since the start of the pandemic. There have been 1,079,671 tests conducted.

Around the state, there are 1,609 active cases. There are 68 active hospitalizations.

By Tuesday, March 2, a total of 1,357 deaths have been reported statewide. A total of 97,037 people are listed as recovered.

Several health mandates for Montana put into effect by former Gov. Steve Bullock were removed by new Gov. Greg Gianforte Jan. 15: Restaurants, bars, breweries, distilleries and casinos no longer have to close at 10 p.m. Gianforte encourages businesses to follow public health guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control, but the governor removed capacity limits for businesses.

Gianforte issued a directive and an executive order on Friday, Feb. 12. The directive rescinds and replaces all prior directives implementing Executive Order 2-2021, which the governor issued on Jan. 13. Consistent with the governor’s announcement on Wednesday, Feb. 10, the new directive allows the statewide mask mandate to expire. Local jurisdictions may still choose to implement their own mask requirements. Gianforte emphasized how providing incentives and encouraging personal responsibility are more effective than imposing unenforceable government mandates.

On Feb. 10, Gianforte signed S.B. 65 into law which provides a liability shield to businesses, nonprofits, and others who protect their workers, their customers, and their clients from the spread of COVID-19.

In keeping with Gianforte’s Jan. 13 directive which removed restrictions on hours of service and capacity for businesses, the latest directive continues to encourage businesses to adopt industry best practices or public health guidance to protect their employees and customers. The directive also continues to promote the use of telehealth services, protect vulnerable Montanans from eviction or foreclosure, ease of licensing for health care professionals and a reduction in regulatory burdens.

On Monday, Feb. 22, President Biden commemorated the country’s 500,000 COVID-related death with a ceremony.

Flu Shots

Area health officials are stressing that flu shots are more important this year than ever because the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to keep the community safe, health officials offer advice and information on these two infections are related. COVID-19 and the flu are each highly contagious respiratory infections, but have some key differences. They are caused by different viruses. COVID-19 is more infectious, and there is a vaccine to prevent the flu. There are some symptom similarities between the two, which may make it difficult to determine which illness you have if you are experiencing symptoms such as fever, fatigue, cough, difficulty breathing, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, vomiting and diarrhea. Flu can be a more mild illness than COVID-19, and COVID-19 symptoms also can include loss of taste or smell. It may be necessary to receive testing to determine which illness you are experiencing.

To get a flu shot, make an appointment with the Roosevelt County Health Department or make an appointment with your primary care provider.

Flu shots are available at the following locations: Roosevelt County Health Department, Chief Redstone IHS Clinic in Wolf Point, Verne E. Gibbs IHS Clinic in Poplar, Listerud Rural Health Clinic in Wolf Point, Riverside Clinic in Poplar and Roosevelt Medical Clinic in Culbertson.

Vaccines are covered by health insurance, Medicaid and Medicare. If you don’t have health insurance, call the health department for assistance at 653-6223.

Area Schools

Local health officials approved the Wolf Point School District to reopen four days a week (Plan A) starting Monday, Nov. 2. Classes began on that day for Wolf Point High School, Wolf Point Junior High School and Northside Elementary Schools. Classes resumed at Southside Elementary Wednesday, Nov. 11.

For Frontier Elementary School, all grades returned to in-school learning on Monday, March 1. K through fourth grade starts at 8:10 a.m. each day and fifth-eighth grade begins at 8:05 a.m. each day. Dismissal on Mondays through Thursdays is at 3:25 p.m. for K-4, and 3:33 p.m. for 5-8 grades. Dismissal on Fridays is 2:30 p.m. for grades.

The Frazer School returned to in-class instruction Oct. 5. Students are offered the optout option.

Poplar High School students attend daily, Monday- Thursday, during the second semester. Fridays will be for individual student, scheduled interventions and/ or small group help including remote learners.

Fort Peck Tribes

Fort Peck Tribes are now in a modified phase 2 reopening. Starting on Jan. 15, all tribal employees returned to work from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Tribal casinos have reopened from 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. at 50 percent capacity.

No gathering of 30 or more people is allowed. Curfew is 12:30 a.m. to 5:30 a.m.

Vaccine Doses

The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services’ dashboard features county by county breakdown as far as vaccination numbers.

In Roosevelt County, 2,174 total doses have been administered. There have been 669 fully immunizations.

As of Monday, Feb. 1, 255,746 total doses have been administered in Montana. There are 88,387 fully immunized Montanans.

The map features such information as total doses administered, number of first doses administered, number of people fully immunized, doses administered per 1,000 people and eligible population to be vaccinated.

The dashboard can be found at https://www.arcgis. com/apps/MapSeries/ index.html?appid=7c-34f3412536439491adcc2103421d4b.