Coronavirus update: School cancels field trips, Creston Auction canceled

Meanwhile, the Creston Auction, scheduled for April 3-5 has been canceled due concerns about the coronavirus.

Brendan House in Kalispell announced it was restricting all visitors as of 7:30 p.m. today (Friday). In addition, the Columbia Falls School District 6 has canceled field trips. A junior high field trip was stopped today while students were on the bus and they were sent back to school. High school field trips to Spokane and New York City were also canceled, teachers confirmed.

Numerous other meetings and gatherings across the state have been canceled.

The Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls will start screening visitors starting Monday, superintendent Joren Underdahl said Thursday due to coronavirus.

Underdahl said the Veterans Administration Pharmacy, located inside the home, has already stopped taking outpatient prescriptions. It’s still filling prescriptions for residents.

Underdahl said visitors will be screened at the front door and hours would be restricted from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Other entrances would be locked to ingress.

Folks who are showing signs of illness such as cough or fever would not be allowed to enter and visitors will have to go through a hand washing station before visiting veterans.

The home at this point does not want to lock down entirely, because outside visitors provide a host of activities for residents, Underdahl noted.

“It would immediately affect quality of life,” Underdahl said.

The facility has 105 beds.

At Bee Hive Homes assisted living center in Columbia Falls there are similar restrictions, said supervisor Ashley Samples. The home isn’t allowing anyone in with symptoms of illness and a hand washing station is set up for folks both entering and leaving the building, Samples said.

There have been no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Montana as of Friday morning.