BILLINGS - Six additional Yellowstone County residents died over the weekend of COVID-19 related illness, bringing the total number of resident deaths to 422 people since April 2020.
The latest Yellowstone County pandemic deaths all occurred in Billings hospitals, according to RiverStone Health. All six had underlying medical conditions that put them at high risk for severe COVID-19 disease. The deaths include:
· A man in his 60s, who died Friday. He was unvaccinated.
· A man in his 80s who died Saturday. He was vaccinated.
· A man in his 50s who died Saturday. He was vaccinated.
· A man in his 70s, who died Saturday. He was vaccinated.
· A man in his 60s, who died Sunday. He was unvaccinated.
· A man in his 80s, who died Sunday. He was unvaccinated.
On Monday, Billings Clinic and St. Vincent Healthcare were caring for 34 COVID-19 patients in ICU. Of those, 21 were on ventilators. Altogether, the hospitals had 112 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, including 94 who weren’t vaccinated.
Vaccination clinics expand
COVID-19 vaccines are available at local pharmacies and medical clinics, including pediatric practices. Also, these free, walk-in COVID-19 vaccination clinics will be offered:
· Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., in Cedar Hall at MetraPark. Cedar Hall is an older, white stucco building on the southwest end of the fairgrounds midway. Billings Clinic, St. Vincent Healthcare and RiverStone Health are partnering to staff the Cedar Hall clinics.
· Thursday, 4-6:30 p.m., in Cedar Hall at MetraPark.
· November 16, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Cedar Hall.
· November 18, 4-6:30 p.m. in Cedar Hall.
· November 23, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Cedar Hall.
· November 30, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Cedar Hall.
· December 2, 4 – 6:30 p.m. in Cedar Hall.
· December 9, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., RiverStone Health, 123 S. 27th St. in the four-story building.
· December 30, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., RiverStone Health, 123 S. 27th S.t, in the four-story building.
Pediatric and family clinics
For the convenience of families with children, pediatric walk-in vaccination clinics have been scheduled on four Saturday mornings:
· November 13, 9 a.m. – noon in Cedar Hall at MetraPark. First dose.
· November 20, 9 a.m. – noon in Cedar Hall at MetraPark. First dose.
· December 4, 9 a.m. – noon in Cedar Hall at MetraPark. Second dose.
· December 11, 9 a.m. – noon in Cedar Hall at MetraPark. Second dose.
Masks are required at the walk-in vaccination clinics. Children under 18 must have signed parental consent for vaccination. Everyone who receives a vaccine is required to stay at least 15 minutes afterward for observation.
The walk-in clinics will offer all three of the U.S. approved vaccines. Pfizer vaccine will be offered in the approved lower doses for children ages 5-11 and in the doses for people age 12 and older. First, second and booster doses are available as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
First, second and booster doses of Moderna vaccine are available to people 18 and older. The single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be available to people 18 and older.
Drive-through testing closed Tuesdays
The drive-through COVID-19 testing site at North 28th Street and 11th Avenue North will be closed on Tuesdays, Staff will be assisting at vaccination clinics during that time. RiverStone Health and St. Vincent Healthcare will continue to provide free drive-through COVID-19 tests from 9 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and from 12:15 to 3 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at St. Vincent Healthcare parking lot M, at North 28th Street and 11th Avenue North. A list of other COVID-19 testing sites is posted at covid.riverstonehealth.org.
Tests are available to people age five and older who have symptoms of COVID-19 or had close contact with a person who tested positive. St. Vincent Healthcare will provide lab results to those tested within 48 hours. For a list of other testing sites in Yellowstone County, go to covid.riverstonehealth.org and click on the bar that says: “I need to be tested for COVID-19”.
Please be aware that this outdoor test site may close during inclement weather.