Federal, state and local officials are working to get as many people vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible.
Vaccination distribution plans have been released, but those plans continue to evolve.
Q2 News is committed to providing the most recent information available about the status of the vaccination efforts. Below are official resources from local, state and federal agencies with information about the virus and vaccine distribution, followed by links to recent news stories.
- RiverStone Health COVID-19 Dashboard
Updated information on the Yellowstone County community vaccination clinics:
Appointments for the free, Yellowstone County community COVID-19 vaccination clinic next week (Feb. 23-25) at Cedar Hall at MetraPark may now be made online. Appointments are required, no walk-ins can be served.
Go to mtreadyclinic.org and click on the blue button that says: Find a clinic.
Scrolling down, you should see information on each of the five clinics scheduled for next week at Cedar Hall. If you don’t see the clinics listed, type “Metra” into the location search.
The online form has space for insurance information. You don’t need to fill that part out because all vaccinations are free of charge and no insurance is required.
Beginning at 9 a.m. on Monday, appointments also will be available by calling 406.651.6596. Some appointments will be saved for phone callers.
Appointments are available to Yellowstone County residents who meet the criteria for the 1A or 1B priority groups established by the state of Montana. This includes healthcare workers, first responders, people age 70 or older, people age 16 to 69 with a serious health condition that puts them at high risk of severe COVID-19 illness, Native Americans and other people of color who may be at higher risk for severe COVID-19 illness.
Clinics will be held from:
· 1 to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 23.
· 8-11:30 a.m. and 1-4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 24.
· 8-11:30 a.m. and 1-4:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 25.
This Cedar Hall clinic is the combined effort of the Yellowstone County Unified Health Command partners. Yellowstone County has provided the Cedar Hall building on the southwest end of the MetraPark midway as the clinic site. RiverStone Health, St. Vincent Healthcare and Billings Clinic will provide staff. St. Vincent is no longer doing first-dose clinics separately on its campus. Billings Clinic will stop doing first-dose clinics on its campus by the end of February.
Yellowstone County residents can click the links below to schedule a COVID-19 vaccination in Billings:
- SCL Health St. Vincent Healthcare - 406-237-7050
- Billings Clinic - 406-435-5744
- RiverStone Health - 406-651-6596 (RiverStone is only vaccinating people 18 and older because it has the Moderna vaccine.)
- Montana COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Plan
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Vaccines
- Montana COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard
News Stories
Date set for Yellowstone County community vaccination 2nd dose recipients
Appointments for second Yellowstone County free community vaccination clinic now available
Hundreds vaccinated against COVID-19 in first day of Yellowstone County centralized vax clinic
Appointments filling up for new Yellowstone Co. centralized COVID-19 vax clinic
Yellowstone Co. community COVID vax clinic at MetraPark, what you need to know
Yellowstone County preparing for first centralized vaccine clinic
Large COVID vaccination clinic coming to MetraPark in Billings next week
Gianforte: 19,500 more COVID vaccine doses reallocated for Montana
Yellowstone County reports receiving 2,450 first doses of COVID-19 vaccine
Yellowstone County health officer gives briefing on COVID-19 vaccine
Yellowstone County health officials release results of COVID-19 vaccination community survey
Montana launches COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard
Governor: Montana is ready to increase COVID vaccinations, but needs more supply
Montana moves to next phase of COVID-19 vaccination plan
Yellowstone County health officials move to Phase 1B COVID-19 vaccinations
Yellowstone County preparing plan to get vaccinations to residents
UM research remains critical even as first COVID vaccines released
Highgate Senior Living residents and staff see first vaccinations Wednesday in Billings
Doctors, health officials battle misinformation they fear could derail vaccination efforts
What side effects can you expect from the vaccination? Dr. Erica Bruen shares her experience in the video below: