Governor Steve Bullock
today announced the state will move to Phase Two of the Reopening the Big Sky
plan and will lift the 14-day out-of-state travel quarantine beginning June 1
as Montana continues to have the lowest number of positive COVID-19 cases and
hospitalizations per capita.
“Montana
has been an example for the rest of the nation in our response to this global
pandemic. I have no doubt that we can continue to be that example, but only if
Montanans, businesses, and visitors alike continue to take seriously the
responsibility we all have in protecting others,
”
Governor Bullock said. “As we continue with the next phase in our reopening,
our goal together as Montanans for the foreseeable future is to
mitigate the spread of the virus.”
“The individual
actions of Montanans have collectively made a difference. Staying 6-feet
away, washing hands, wearing masks while in public, and staying home when sick,
have all contributed to us being able to move forward with the plan to reopen
Montana. We are at an important milestone and if each of us continues to
do our part to prevent the novel coronavirus from spreading, we’ll stay on the
path to fully reopen Montana,”
John Felton, Yellowstone County Health
Officer and President/CEO of RiverStone Health, said.
“Since this COVID-19 emergency began Governor Bullock has
consistently listened to city and county governments around the state as he has
formulated a strategy to respond. And that strategy has worked. Thanks to
Governor Bullock's leadership, Montana has escaped the tragedies other states
have experienced. We are fortunate to have him at the helm as we reopen
Montana. We are thankful for his commitment to ensure we will keep Montana safe
during the summer months as we rebuild our economy,”
Cynthia Andrus, Deputy
Mayor, City of Bozeman, said.
“We are grateful
for Governor Bullock’s diligence as he works to reopen Montana safely and
continues to and consider the unique concerns and challenges in tribal
communities including a large population of elderly Montanans and families in
multi-generational households. The Blackfeet Tribal Business Council appreciate
Governor Bullock has respected tribal sovereignty and decisions to put in place
more restrictive measures to keep tribal communities safe and has supported our
efforts to contain the virus through increased testing,”
said
the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council.
In consultation with
public health and emergency response officials, Governor Bullock outlined the
following indicators which allow Montana to move into Phase Two beginning on
June 1:
- A downward trajectory of positive
tests as a percent of total tests within a 14-day period.
- The current ability to contact and
trace, along with plans to add additional contact tracers to the existing
workforce.
- Ensuring that health care workers
have the supplies they need to treat COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients.
- Ramping up testing capacity to
eventually meet a target of 60,000 tests a month and prioritizing testing
for vulnerable Montanans and tribal communities. A total of 5,600 tests
were conducted last week. Increased testing continues with sentinel
testing efforts in nursing homes and assisting living facilities, testing
events in tribal areas, and drive through testing being conducted at a few
sites.
Under Phase Two,
effective June 1, avoid gatherings in groups of more than 50 people in
circumstances that do not readily allow for appropriate physical distancing.
Groups larger than 50 people should be cancelled unless physical distancing can
be maintained. It is recommended to continue to social distance in gatherings
of any size.
Under Phase Two,
effective June 1, restaurants, bars, breweries, distilleries and casinos
remains in the same operations status as Phase One, but with an increase to 75%
capacity. Gyms, indoor group fitness classes, pool, and hot tubs can operate at
75% capacity and only if they can adhere to strict physical distancing and they
exercise frequent sanitation protocols. Concert halls, bowling alleys, and
other places of assembly may operate with reduced capacity and if they adhere
to strict physical distancing guidelines.
All businesses are
required to follow the social distancing and sanitation guidelines established
in Phase One, and Montanans are strongly encouraged to continue sanitation
practices, including hand washing and wearing masks in public places like
grocery stores.
“Social
distancing, wearing a cloth mask, washing your hands, and sanitizing are all
part of our new normal. If not for you, do it for others, especially for the
most vulnerable among us,”
Governor Bullock said. “Not following
these guidelines could put us in a position where we have to go backward,
instead of being able to continue to move forward.”
Vulnerable Montanans
should still continue to stay home when possible during Phase Two. Visitation
at nursing home and assisted living facilities remains suspended except for
certain compassionate care situations.
Effective June 1, the
14-day travel quarantine for out-of-state travelers and residents arriving from
another state or country to Montana for non-work-related purposes will be
lifted. The Montana National Guard will continue to conduct screenings in
airports and train depots and refer anyone with COVID-19-related symptoms to
local public health officials.
To support Montana’s destination communities, the
state will assist with establishing the following protocols:
- Surveillance testing of employees.
- Enhanced contact tracing resources deployed to these
areas as requested by local authorities.
- Ability to surge personal protective equipment to
impacted health care systems.
- Guidelines for operation
for business that see high-tourist activity.
Montana’s gradual and
phased plan to reopen began on April 26 with Phase One which allowed schools,
places of worship, main street and retail businesses, and restaurants,
breweries, and bars to reopen under social distancing guidelines. Governor
Bullock also provided additional guidance to allow gyms, movie theaters, and
museums to reopen under the first phase on May 15.
Governor Bullock and his Coronavirus Task Force will continue to
monitor cases closely and carefully to analyze Montana’s work to contain the
virus.
The Directive and its Appendix with reopening guidelines are posted online at covid19.mt.gov.