Montana News
As winter nears, health officials urge Montanans to get vaccinated
With Montana News, I'm Eleanor Smith. As the weather cools down, public health officials remind Montanans that now is the time to schedule their COVID or flu shots. Montana Public Radio's Erin Bolton has more. The amount of COVID virus being found in Montana's wastewater is considered very high, according to federal officials. Matt Kelly with the Montana Public Health Institute says getting an updated COVID shot before winter will give your body time to build immunity before people start gathering indoors. But he says, talk to your doctor if you tested positive recently. So they have that natural immunity to the disease and they can kind of go a little bit longer without getting the shot. Federal health officials say it's safe to get both the COVID and flu vaccines at the same time. COVID still remains a threat for vulnerable populations. Nearly a million people were hospitalized and over 75,000 people died nationwide from the virus in 2023. For the first time, COVID vaccines are no longer free for those without health insurance. Federal health officials say those people should call their local health department to ask if it offers free vaccine services. In Columbia Falls, I'm Erin Bolton.