Governor Bullock Announces Phase Two of Montana's Reopening Plan
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In a press conference on May 19, Governor Steve Bullock announced that beginning on June 1, Montana will move from Phase One to Phase Two of the Reopening the Big Sky plan. Among other changes, the transition will mean lifting the 14-day out-of-state travel self-quarantine since Montana continues to have the lowest number of positive COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations per capita in the United States.
Although travel restrictions will subside on June 1, the Montana National Guard remains authorized to assess travelers in airports and train depots for COVID-19 symptoms. Anyone with COVID-19-related symptoms will be referred to local public health officials.
During last Tuesday’s media message, Governor Bullock reported that Montana has been an example for the rest of the nation with its 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, 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,” he stated.
Bullock also outlined other indicators that precipitated Phase movement:
• A downward trajectory of positive tests as a percent of total tests within a 14-day period;
• An ability to contact and trace—part of the process of supporting patients with suspected or confirmed infection and warning contacts of exposure in order to stop chains of transmission—along with plans to add additional contact tracers to the existing workforce;
• Ensuring that health care workers have the supplies needed 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.
The previously published Re-opening the Big Sky plan was divided into three phases. Key points of the second phase can be summarized in five bullet points:
• Gatherings may expand from 10 to 50 people.
• Vulnerable populations should continue to follow stay at home guidelines.
• All gyms, indoor group fitness classes, some pools, and most hot tubs will be allowed to operate. While some could reopen on May 15, the remainder can become operational with reduced capacity and only if they can adhere to strict physical distancing and they exercise frequent sanitation protocols.
• In addition to houses of worship, other places of assembly, such as live music venues and bowling alleys, will be able to operate under the group size restrictions and physical distancing guidelines in this phase. Some of these spaces—namely movie theaters and museums—received the green light to open on May 15.
• Retail stores, restaurants, bars, casinos, breweries, and other businesses can remain operational but with an increase in capacity from 50% to 75% while still adhering to physical distancing and sanitation guidelines.
Governor Bullock and his Coronavirus Task Force will continue to monitor cases closely and carefully to analyze Montana’s continued efforts to contain the virus.
Anyone wishing to read the full directive and its appendix can find those documents online at covid19.mt.gov.
