State now releasing coronavirus data on individual schools

Under a directive from Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, the state has started to release coronavirus data on individual schools.

Columbia Falls was one of the first schools in the county to publicly report its cases, even without the mandate. If there is a case and a quarantine, the school also sends out notification to parents.

To date, the high school has quarantined more than 30 students since school started, as some students came within 6 feet of an infected student.

According to the state’s website, the Columbia Falls junior high has also had positive case as well.

Columbia Falls is not alone. Ten other schools in the Flathead have also reported cases.

The actual spread of the virus in Columbia Falls has been very low, as schools are requiring students to wear masks and they’re also screened before they come in the door.

Visitors are also screened. For example, in order to visit a Columbia Falls school, a visitor has to report no symptoms and fill out a health survey, disinfect their hands and then have their temperature taken.

They also have to wear a mask, just like students and staff.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen criticized the directive, claiming it would compromise the privacy of students and staff at schools.

That could happen at smaller schools, but so far at least, the numbers have been quite low and in the case of Columbia Falls schools, there are hundreds of students. Identifying one person with the virus would be difficult unless they came forward publicly.

The data is available at https://dphhs.mt.gov/publichealth/cdepi/diseases/coronavirusmt/demographics then click on the “Additional information on COVID-19 in Montana schools" link.