As of Friday, February 26, 2021, Montana reports 99,613 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 174 new cases reported in the last day: 33 in Gallatin County, 19 in Flathead County, 19 in Yellowstone County, 16 in Silver Bow County, 15 in Lewis & Clark County, and more new cases in 22 more Montana counties. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 1,897, and 76 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. The most active cases are in Yellowstone and Gallatin Counties. 1,354 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Four more deaths have been reported since yesterday. Nationwide, more than 508,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 28,400,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

Two fully vaccinated people can gather individually with minimal risk, Dr. Anthony Fauci says. “You can start getting together as individual people. Even though the risk is not zero, the risk becomes extremely low when you have both parties vaccinated,” said Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. Health officials advise that until far more people are vaccinated, everyone should continue basic health protocols like wearing face masks, physical distancing of at least six feet from another person, frequent hand washing, and staying away from crowds or places where people gather.

Gallatin County announced Wednesday that a third public vaccination clinic will be held March 4 at the fairgrounds in Bozeman. The 480 appointment slots will likely fill quickly. The clinic is for people eligible in Phase 1B — adults over 70, those between 16 and 69 with specific underlying conditions and people of color. The health department is also working with Bozeman Creek Family Health, Bozeman Clinic, the Human Resource Development Council and Bozeman Senior Center to sign up 400 people who may not have access to technology or may need help registering to ensure they can participate in the clinic.

Starting next week, Madison County residents who live in Big Sky will be able to receive a COVID-19 vaccine locally. The Madison Valley Medical Center in Ennis will host clinics at the Summit Hotel at Big Sky Resort on Tuesday, March 16, March 30, April 3 and April 27. Those interested in participating in the clinics should call the medical center at (406) 682-4223 to be added to the waitlist.

One of the nation’s largest airlines announced Thursday morning that it’s expanding its service into Montana for the first time. Southwest Airlines announced year-round, nonstop flights between Bozeman and Denver and Bozeman and Las Vegas are set to start on May 27, with two flights each way every day. Flights to and from Denver are scheduled to increase to four daily flights each way on June 6. The Bozeman airport will be installing another boarding bridge for passengers to board Southwest flights. Those flights will be boarding and unloading at one of the gates in the newer $26.5 million, 75,000 square foot Concourse B, which opened in October 2020.