COVID-19 update and special board meeting scheduled

GALLATIN CITY-COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

BOZEMAN – As of Tuesday, July 21, Gallatin County has 25 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, for a total of 87 confirmed active cases and five current hospitalizations. There have been an accumulative total of 648 cases in Gallatin County and 560 people recovered. One person has died from COVID-19 complications.

One case previously assigned to another area has been reassigned to Gallatin County and added to a previous day’s total. The new cases are located across Gallatin County and are related to community transmission, contacts to known cases and travel. 

The GCCHD would like to remind everyone that it is up to us to stop the spread of COVID-19. The Gov. Steve Bullock has issued a directive for people age five and older to wear properly fitting face coverings in retail stores, restaurants, fitness facilities, schools and universities, and all other indoor public spaces where social distancing cannot be maintained. 

The GCCHD will hold a special virtual only meeting for Friday, July 24 at 7 a.m. which will consider a new emergency health rule that would require use of face coverings by most people within most indoor public settings, including retail businesses, bars and restaurants, government buildings and schools, and most other public indoor settings. 

The second measure on the Board’s agenda is an extension of the board’s emergency rule requiring people who have tested positive for COVID-19 to remain in isolation until they are no longer contagious. The rule also requires quarantine of close contacts of known cases and those who are symptomatic and awaiting test results.

Public comments received prior to today on these two proposed rules will still be received and considered by the board, and the board will continue to accept written public comment and will accept public comment provided during Friday’s meeting through video or telephone access provided to all members of the public.

The public should also know that regardless of the board’s vote, the ​governor’s directive on face coverings​ remains in effect and all residents of and visitors to Gallatin County should abide by those requirements to wear face coverings in certain public settings. GCCHD will continue working with the public, business owners and others to implement provisions of the governor’s directive.