BILLINGS — COVID-19 infection rates continue to increase in Yellowstone County. Friday's daily total of 155 cases pushes the infection rate per 100,000 people to 49.
On Monday Public Health Officer John Felton announced a plan of action that included reducing the number of people allowed at places where people congregate, including restaurants, bars, events, and places of worship.
If the new COVID-19 infection rate is 40 per 100,000 population or higher (this means a total of 452 infections in Yellowstone County for a seven day period) for the week ending Oct. 31, Felton will issue a new Yellowstone County Health Officer Order that will take effect Monday, Nov. 2.
If the new infection rate hits 50 per 100,000 or higher for any week during October (more the 565 infections in Yellowstone County for a seven day period), Felton will impose the restrictions right away. This benchmark is the point at which medical experts and healthcare system leaders said they cannot wait to impose restrictions in an effort to decrease the burden of COVID-19 on our community and our healthcare systems.
RiverStone Health calculates and reports an official number of cases for a week from Sunday through Saturday. We can expect a report on weekly totals from RiverStone on Monday.
Residents of Yellowstone County are being asked to consistently wear masks, watch your distance and stay 6 feet away, avoid group gatherings, wash hands, and stay home when you are ill.
