Fair likely contributed to COVID-19 outbreak along Hi-line

About three weeks ago, Montana’s longest, continuous fair unfolded once again in the small town of Dodson on Montana’s Hi-line with most of the offerings attendees would usually expect — a ranch rodeo, AMX races, a demolition derby and a concert.

But 11 days after the festivities concluded, the Phillips County Health Department announced several key events, the fair included, were likely contributors to a surge in COVID-19 cases in the area.

According to an Aug. 13 press release from the Phillips County Health Department, the large events included “recreational softball games, followed by large local gatherings, and further spread by events held at the Phillips County Fair.”

State officials later announced a wedding and a party at a bar may have contributed to the cases as well, though the health department did stress that “not all cases have been associated with these events.”

Health department officials said after case investigations and contact tracing, the department “highly suspects that COVID-19 arrived from residents traveling in and out of the county for large events from areas of high transmission.”

Prior to these gatherings, the county was one of few in the state boasting no cases of the virus since the start of the pandemic. On Aug. 4, the department announced the area’s first five positives, and a little more than one week later, that number had risen to 68 cumulative cases. As of Tuesday morning, the area had reported 93 total cases, 37 of which are considered active and the rest have recovered.

While cases appear to be leveling out and hospitalizations are minimal in the area, the outbreak eventually did prompt Dodson Public Schools to delay the start of school and also became the primary talking point of a recent press conference with Gov. Steve Bullock.

During the conference, Bullock said the situation in Phillips County serves as an example of how Montanans have yet to understand how to live with the virus and it is a challenge “that can be faced in a lot of other areas.”

As the Northwest Montana Fair and Rodeo prepares to swing open its own gates in Kalispell officially this morning for a five-day run, fairgrounds officials maintain they have gone over their COVID-19 plans with a fine-tooth comb.

ON MONDAY, Tamalee St. James Robinson, the interim health officer for the Flathead City-County Health Department, and Flathead County Fairgrounds Manager Mark Campbell, both said they were unaware of the outbreak in Phillips County.

However, by Tuesday afternoon Campbell said he had made contact with Phillips County Fair officials who said they “believed they had done everything possible not to spread the virus.” He also emphasized points similar to those made by their local health department, most notably that not all of the COVID-19 cases had been linked to the fair.

Campbell and Robinson also said the Northwest Montana Fair and Rodeo is taking a more aggressive stance on measures such as face coverings and the limiting of ticket sales overall.

“We do have some differences,” Campbell said. “First off, masks this year are mandatory and I still think that’s the right move and the right thing to do. We also have better distancing plans in place in that our fairgrounds and bleachers allow us to spread out more.”

According to Phillips County’s Communicable Disease Plan, face coverings for event staff were encouraged, but “when other physical barriers are in place, such as windows or plexiglass, face coverings will not be required, nor will they be required by fair-goers.”

Masks are required for the Kalispell event and Campbell said this will be enforced.

Beyond these points, Campbell and Robinson noted gatherings aside from the fair and rodeo have occurred throughout the Flathead Valley in recent weeks and out-of-state residents have already traveled from high-risk areas to enjoy Glacier National Park.

“With these points we are talking about, there is a lot more at play here than just the fair,” Campbell said. “But at this point, I can say I am comfortable that we haven’t missed anything in terms of preparing for this.”

Differences aside, the two fairs do have similarities as well.

Both canceled the carnival portion of the fair, but Phillips County hosted a rodeo, demolition derby and concert, just as Flathead County is planning to do. Staff at both fairs went to great lengths to make sure items like hand sanitizer and hand-washing stations could be found throughout the grounds, and implemented signage throughout the grounds, reminding attendees to socially distance and wear masks. The fair boards and officials in both counties worked closely with their local health departments as well.

According to the Phillips County Fair Communicable Disease Plan 2020, a portion of the responsibility was placed on attendees to make sure rules and suggestions surrounding COVID-19 were followed — just as Flathead County Fairgrounds officials have done.

The Phillips County plan states, the board “will provide opportunities for event participants to engage in good hygiene” and “individuals must then take personal responsibility for their health and wellbeing and be willing to help protect the health and wellbeing of other event participants by utilizing those facilities.”

This is a point Campbell adamantly agrees with.

“Part of the responsibility does fall to the public,” he stressed. “That’s what our campaign ‘Be a Fair Champion’ came from. We don’t want you here if you won’t wear a mask.”