As of Friday, August 6, 2021, Montana reports 117,882 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 272 new cases reported since yesterday: 62 new cases in Flathead County, 42 new cases in Yellowstone County, 34 new cases in Cascade County, 26 new cases in Gallatin County, and more new cases in 27 more Montana counties. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 1,973. Currently, 137 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. 1,722 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Two more deaths have been reported in the last day. Nationwide, more than 615,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 35,600,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

United Airlines will require all of its employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19, the first major US airline to do so. United has required vaccinations for new employees since mid-June. But those new employees are not yet part one of the unions that represent most of the employees at the airlines. United will pay an additional day of salary for most employees who provide proof of vaccination by mid-September. United pilots and flight attendants already have a union-negotiated incentive to be vaccinated.

The lower Holter Reservoir will reopen to recreational boating and other uses at 8 p.m. Friday. The reservoir, from Log Gulch Campground to Holter Dam, was closed earlier this week by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks to all public occupation and recreation, including boating and swimming, so that firefighting aircraft like super-scooper airplanes and helicopters with water buckets could safely fill from the reservoir.

Montana State University is advising vaccinated and unvaccinated people to wear face masks while indoors on campus. MSU President Waded Cruzado issued the recommendation this week, a little under three months after a mask mandate was removed in May.