Gianforte’s COVID actions under scrutiny

}{AS OF FRIDAY, NEARLY 500MONTANANS ARE HOSPITALIZEDWITH COVID-19 MORE THANQUADRUPLE THE AMOUNT OF JUST10 WEEKS AGO}{ADAM MEIER, THE GIANFORTEADMINISTRATION’S TOP HEALTHOFFICIAL, SAYS IT’S BEENALL-HANDS-ON-DECK TO HELPHOSPITALS AND OTHER FACILITIESMEET THE CHALLENGE}{ADAM MEIER, DIRECTOR, DEPT.OF PUBLIC HEALTH HUMANSERVICES: "WE’VE WORKEDDIRECTLY WITH A NUMBER OFHOSPITALS ON, HELPING IDENTITYAVAILALIBITY OF STAFFINGCONTRACTORS, TO BRING ONADDITIONAL CLINICAL STAFF ORNON-CLINICAL STAFF.}{RICH RASMUSSEN OF THE STATEHOSPITAL ASSOCIATION SAYS THEADMINISTRATION HAS DELIVEREDON THINGS LIKE ASSIGNING THENATIONAL GUARD AT HOSPITALS,KIMANG IT EASIER TO FI MNDOREBEDS, AND HELPING FIND ANDFUND MORE STAFF}{MEIER, HOWEVER, SAYS THE MTOSIMPORTANT STEP IS ONE THATONLY INDIVIDUALS CAN TAKE: GETVACCINATE}.{ADAM MEIER, DIRECTOR, DEPT OFPUBLIC HEALTH HUMANSERVICES: "THE TICKET OUT OFTHIS IS REALLY GETTING THESESAFE AND EFFECTIVE VACCINES.AND THAT’S WHY WE’RE SOFOCUSED ON THIS.}{THE GIANFORTE ADMINISTRATIONIS CONTINUING TO RUNPUBLIC-SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS,URGING PEOPLE TO GETVACCINES}{BUT SOME PUBLIC-HEALTHOFFICERS SAY THE GIANFORTEADMINISTRATION UNDERCUTS THATMESSAGE, BY SIGNING ANDSUPPORTING THE STATE LAW THATPROHIBITS ANY VACCINE MANDATESIN MONTANA EVEN BY PRIVATEBUSINESS.E}{ELLEN LEAHY, FORMER MISSOULACOUNTY PUBLIC-HEALTH DIRECTOR:" THE MESSAGE THAT THERE WILLBE NO MANDATES, I’M GOING TOFIGHT THE FEDS FORNY A VACCINEMANDATE, I THINK UNDERMINESANY OTHER MESSAGE ABOUT‘TALKTO YOUR DOCTOR AND GET AVACCINE.’}{ABOUT 49% OF MONTANANS AREVACCINATED AGAINST COVIE-19AMONG THE LOWER RATES FORSTATES NATIONWIDE}{THEY ALSO NOTE THAT GIANFORTESIGNED SEVERAL LAWS THATRESTRICT WHAT LOCALPUBLIC-HEALTH DEPARTMENTS CANDO, IN RESPONSE TOCOMMUNICABLE DISEASEOUTBREAKS}{MEIER SAYS THE GIANFORTEADMINISTRATION DOESN’T BELIEVETHE GOVERNMENT, OR OERTHENTITIES, SHOULD MANDATEPERSONAL HEALTH-CAREDECISIONS, ON VACCINES}{HE CALLS THE GOVERNOR’SACTIONS A "BALANCING ACT" THATTAKES INTO ACCOUNT OTHERINTERESTS, WHEN IT COMES TOPUBLIC HEALTH}{ADAM MEIER, DIRECTOR, STATEDEPT OF PUBLIC HEALTH HUMANSERVICES: "THERE’S MORELIMITATIONS, AS IT RELATES TOPUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE, BUTTHERE IS ALSO ADDITIONALFREEDOMS AND LIBERTIES PEOPLEARE ENJOYING.

WE R’BALANCING DIFFERENT COMPETINGINTERESTS, AND I THINK,GENERALLY SPEAKING, PEOPLE ARESUPPORTIVE OF THE ABILITY FORPEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAINFREEDOMS AND TO HAVEEMPLOYMENT AND THOSE SORTS OFTHINGS.}{THE ADMINISTRATION ALSOISSUED A CONTROVERSIALEMERGENCY RULE IN LATE AUGUST,THAT SAID SCHOOL DISTRICTSSHOULD ALLOW CHILDREN CERTAINEXEMPTIONS FROM REQUIREMENTSTO WEAR FACE-MASKS.}{EIGHTEEN STATE EPIDEMIOLOGISTS AND HEALTH EXPERTS WROTE AMEMO TO MEIER TWO WEEKS LATER,SAYING STATEMENTS SUPPORTINGTHE RULE WERE MISLEADING ORFALSE}{FORMER STATE EPIDEMIOLOGISTJIM MURPHY, WHO LEFT THEAGENCY IN JULY, ALSO SAYS THEYWERE DISCOURAGED FROM TAKINGANOTHER MITIGATION ACTION INSCHOOLS THIS FALL}{JIM MURPHY, FORMER STATEEPIDEMIOLOGIST: "TYPICALLY,FOR THE START OF THE SCHOOLYEAR, THERE’S A PRETTY HEAVYEFFORT TO VACCINATKIE DS FORTHE ROUTINE CHILDHOODDISEASES.

A LOT OF THAT OCCURSIN SCHOOL SETTINGS WITHSCHOOL-BASED CLINICS.

YET WEWERE DISCOURAGED FROMPROMOTING ANYTHING SIMILAR TOA SCHOOL-BASED CLINIC WITHCOVID.

}{MEIER SAYS HE DOESN’T RECALLMAKING THAT DIRECTIVE ANDTHAT THE EMERGENCY RULE WASMERELY TO PROVIDE A LEGALFRAMEWORFOK R STUDENTS TO GETA MASK EXEMPTION, IF THEYNEEDED ONE}{FORMER STATE MEDICAL OFFICERGREG HOLZMAN TOLD MTN NEWS HEBELIEVES STATE HEALTH OFFICERSARE INDOG ALL THEY CAN, TOMITIGATE THE COVID-19 SURGEBUT THAT FRONT-LINE WORKERSARE DISCOURAGED}{GREG HOLZMAN, FORMER STATEMEDICAL OFFICER: "LAST YEAR ATTHIS TIME, WE ALL HAD THATLITTLE LIGHT, GOING OH, AVACCINE S’GOING TO COME, WE’REGOING TO GET IMMUNIZED.

ANDSO, I THINK A LOT OF PROVIDERSRIGHT NOW, THAT I TALK TO,COLLEAGUES OF MINE, THEY’REEXHAUSTED AND THEY’RE ALSOWONDERING, WHEN DOES THISEND?}{MTN CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTERMIKE DENNISON: "CASES ARESTARTING TO DECLINE,NATIONWIDE AND MEIER SAYSHE’S PEHOFUL MONTANA WILL SOONFOLLOW THAT TREND.

BUT, AS OFFRIDAY WE’RE STILL ONE OFTHE HOT SPOTS IN THE COUNTRY,FOR COVID-19.

REPORTING FROMHELENA, MIKE DENNISON, MTNNEWS."