MISSOULA — The COVID-19 snapshot “doesn’t look awful” in Missoula County, according to Health Director D’Shane Barnett who shared recently released metrics during a Thursday Board of Health meeting.
Barrett noted this is the first time since the delta spike that our test-positivity rate is below 5%. Additionally, statistics show there are fewer than 25 hospitalizations in Missoula County due to COVID-19. The percentage of the vaccine-eligible population that is fully vaccinated now stands at 63%.
Meanwhile, as Missoula County gets a better handle on the pandemic, the non-congregant shelter at the Sleepy Inn is getting less and less use. Leaders say they’ll be evaluating when they might be able to close that operation after the new year.
However, the new omicron variant will alter these metrics. Barnett says they don't have enough data to track omicron's impact on Missoula County yet, but we could see some of those numbers as early as next week.