BILLINGS - Yellowstone County reported Thursday seven more COVID-19 deaths in residents ranging in age from 20s to 80s, bringing the total number of deaths in the county to 429 since April 2020.
RiverStone Health reports the deceased include:
· A man in his 20s, who died on Oct. 22 in a Billings hospital. He was not vaccinated.
· A man in his 60s who died on Oct. 25 at his home. He was not vaccinated. This COVID-19 related death was identified through death certificate review by the Yellowstone County Clerk and Recorder’s Office.
· A woman in her 70s, who died on Nov. 1 at a local long-term care facility. She was not vaccinated. Her death was identified as COVID-19 related through death certificate review by the Clerk and Recorder’s Office.
· A woman in her 80s, who died on Nov. 9 in a Billings hospital. She was not vaccinated.
· A man in his 60s, who died on Nov. 9 in a Billings hospital. He was not vaccinated.
· A man in his 80s, who died on Nov. 9 in a Billings hospital. He was vaccinated.
· A man in his 60s who died on Nov. 10 in a Billings hospital. He was not vaccinated.
All seven of these victims had medical conditions that put them at higher risk for severe COVID-19 illness.
On Thursday, Billings hospitals had 98 COVID-19 inpatients, including 79 who weren’t vaccinated.
“As our community mourns the hundreds of neighbors who have lost their lives to COVID-19, we continue to see that most of the fatalities and most of the hospitalizations involve people who weren’t vaccinated against the virus,” said John Felton, Yellowstone County health officer and president and CEO of RiverStone Health. “The vaccines approved for use in the United States have proven safe and effective at significantly reducing the risk of severe illness and death. These vaccines are readily available in our community from pharmacies and medical clinics to people age 5 and older. If you or your family members aren’t yet vaccinated, please reach out to your health care provider with any questions and get the information you need to get vaccinated.”
Pediatric and family clinic Saturday
For the convenience of families with children, pediatric walk-in vaccination clinics have been scheduled on four Saturday mornings:
· Nov. 13, 9 a.m. – noon in Cedar Hall at MetraPark. First dose.
· Nov. 20, 9 a.m. – noon in Cedar Hall at MetraPark. First dose.
· Dec. 4, 9 a.m. – noon in Cedar Hall at MetraPark. Second dose.
· Dec. 11, 9 a.m. – noon in Cedar Hall at MetraPark. Second dose.
The Saturday morning clinics will offer activities for children and therapy dogs are scheduled to attend. Everyone is required to stay at least 15 minutes for observation after receiving a vaccination.
Masks are required at the walk-in vaccination clinics. Children under 18 must have signed parental consent for vaccination.
Additional free, walk-in COVID-19 vaccination clinics for children and adults will be held at Cedar Hall next week:
· Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
· Thursday 4 to 6:30 p.m.
All 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, including for a booster dose.