BILLINGS - Nine Yellowstone County residents died over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend due to COVID-19 related illness, RiverStone Health said in a press release issued Wednesday.
Additionally, the Yellowstone County Clerk and Recorder identified two residents who died in November of COVID-19 related illness, bringing the total number of Yellowstone County deaths during the pandemic to 453.
RiverStone Health reports the most recent Yellowstone County deaths include:
- A man in his 60s who died on November 24. He was unvaccinated and had underlying health conditions.
- A man in his 20s who died on November 25. He was unvaccinated and had underlying health conditions.
- A man in his 80s who died on November 25. He had underlying health conditions but was fully vaccinated, including having received a booster vaccination.
- A man in his 80s who died on November 25. He was fully vaccinated but had underlying health conditions.
- A man in his 60s who died on November 27. He was unvaccinated and had underlying health conditions.
- A man in his 60s who died on November 27. He was unvaccinated and had underlying health conditions.
- A man in his 70s who died on November 27. He was fully vaccinated and had underlying health conditions.
- A man in his 70s who died on November 27. He was unvaccinated and had underlying health conditions.
- A man in his 80s who died on November 28. He was fully vaccinated and had underlying health conditions.
In addition, a Yellowstone County Clerk and Recorder’s Office review of death certificates identified two people who died in their residences earlier in the month. They include:
- A woman in her 60s who died on November 14. No information has been found on her vaccination status, but she did have underlying health conditions.
- A man in his 80s who died on November 20. He was unvaccinated and had underlying health conditions.
On Tuesday, Billings hospitals had 76 COVID-19 inpatients, including 66 who weren’t vaccinated. Among the hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 26 were in ICU, and 19 were on ventilators.
The majority of Yellowstone County people hospitalized with COVID-19 illness and the majority of those who have died were not vaccinated against this virus. The safest, most effective way to reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 illness and death is to get vaccinated as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vaccinations for people age 5 and older are available at local pharmacies, clinics, and hospitals.
Booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine are recommended for everyone 18 years and older, provided that it has been at least six months since the last dose of either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine or at least two months since receiving the J & J vaccine.
December vaccination clinics
RiverStone Health will host the following vaccination clinics in the month of December.
- December 2, 4 – 6:30 p.m. in Cedar Hall at MetraPark.
- December 4, 9 a.m. – noon in Cedar Hall at MetraPark. Family and pediatric clinic.
- December 9, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at RiverStone Health, 123 S. 27th in the four-story building.
- December 11, 9 a.m. – noon in Cedar Hall at MetraPark. Family and pediatric clinic.
- December 30, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at RiverStone Health, 123 S. 27th, in the four-story building.
Masks are required at all vaccination clinics. Children under 18 must have signed parental consent for vaccination. All clinics offer the three U.S. approved COVID-19 vaccines.
Last week for drive-through testing
This is the last week for the free, drive-through community testing site in the St. Vincent Healthcare parking lot M at North 28th Street and 11th Avenue North. The testing site is open Wednesday, December 1 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. and on Thursday and Friday, December 2 and 3 from 9 a.m. until noon. For additional testing options, go to covid.riverstonehealth.org and look under “I need to be tested for COVID-19”.