COVID 19 Spike: Is Montana on the Verge of Another Mask Mandate?

We have moved far enough away from the year 2020. Yet it still feels like it was just yesterday that the pandemic struck and turned everything upside down. There was an uneasy sense of panic at the grocery stores. People looked at each other as if they were all infected with a highly contagious and fatal virus. We suited up like surgeons just to go get bread and milk. Decontaminating everything we touched as if we all suddenly lived in a bubble.

Looking back, it sure was a strange time to be alive.

If you are into nostalgia, and miss the year 2020, you might have a chance to enjoy some of the things that made the pandemic so memorable. Things like wearing a surgical mask everywhere you went. Strapping on a piece of cloth to your face and fogging up your glasses. Only to be turned down at the door of a store for forgetting to wear one.

With COVID-19 cases on the rise, is Montana on the verge of another mask mandate?

According to an interview with Cindy Farr, director of Health Promotion at Missoula Public Health

As we’re seeing an increase in COVID in our wastewater surveillance and an increase in outbreaks, it’s important for people to be sure to take precautions. It is especially important to be a good neighbor and protect those most vulnerable to severe illness from COVID

Could places like health facilities, pharmacies, and even retail stores bring back the mask mandate due to rising cases of flu and COVID-19?

Mask up in Montana?

States like New York and New Jersey have already issued mask mandates for anyone visiting a hospital or clinic. Some health facilities in Montana still ask people to use masks at times. But, is Montana close to having another mask mandate?

Chances are the answer is "NO." Our guess is that Governor Gianforte would not issue another mandate in Montana. He would most likely leave it up to individuals and private businesses to decide when and where it is appropriate to wear a mask.