By Josh Margolis
HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – The Hill County Health Department says that locally, the phased re-opening has gone mostly according to plan.
Public Health Director Kim Larson says complaints regarding businesses not following directives have significantly decreased as of late.
“We have gotten a couple complaints still, but it’s just people complaining about people sitting at bars or this or that. We just contact them and educate the managers who are working that day and also the people who own those businesses of what they need to be following.”
The gyms that reopened last week have not received any complaints, and no formal citations for violating directives have been issued to any Hill County business.
The Health Department and Sanitarian are continuing to conduct spot checks at businesses.
When it comes to the traveler quarantine, Larson says a handful of people have reached out to her to make sure they follow the guidelines.
“Of course, it’s a self-report. So if people come into our county and don’t call me and let me know, then I don’t know that they’ve been out-of-state. So hopefully people are being honest or just staying home.”
Larson says those coming from out-of-state to camp out in the Bear Paws also need to self-quarantine for 14-days
As for testing, Northern Montana Hospital and Rocky Boy Health Center are the two locations in the county capable of performing COVID-19 tests. Northern Montana Hospital now has rapid tests from Abbott Labs that provide results within 15 minutes.
The only Hill County resident that has tested positive for COVID-19 has since recovered.
