PABLO — The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) are offering a variety of testing options for Tribal members as COVID-19 numbers surge in the Mission Valley.
Tribal Health is offering COVID-19 testing at its COVID-19 testing clinic which is located at the Salish Kootenai College in Pablo. Patients need to call the Tribal Health COVID Hotline at 406-849-5798 to schedule an appointment for COVID-19 testing.
Tribal health notes a limited number of home tests are available from Tribal health centers while supplies last. They are being given to patients who are identified as close contacts or are symptomatic and are unable to get into a testing clinic.
People are being asked to self-report a positive test to the COVID-19 hotline at 406-849-5798 and a nurse will follow up with each patient. Testing is recommended five days after last exposure -- or if symptoms develop for close contacts.
There are also after-hours options available for when the Tribal Health testing clinic is not available.
Tribal Health will pay for those testing services through COVID-19 funding for people who are “direct care eligible” but will not pay for travel-related COVID-19 testing. Walgreens in Polson – which can be reached at 406-300-6042 -- is the nearest travel-testing approved facility.
St. Luke’s Hospital in Ronan will test patients with symptoms through Convenient Care on weekdays between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. or on weekends from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. They can be reached at 406-676-3600.
Providence St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Polson will test through their walk-in clinic by appointment only daily between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. Appointments must be scheduled by calling 406-883-5680.
Finally, testing is available at the Grant Creek Walk-in Clinic which is located at 3075 North Reserve Street, Suite Q, in Missoula. They are open daily between 8 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. and can be reached at 406-327-1850. The location does rapid testing and sees only symptomatic patients.
Tribal members with questions about COVID-19 testing and the availability of vaccines can contact the Tribal Health COVID Hotline at 406-849-5798 or send an email to COVID19@cskthealth.org. A representative will respond within 24 hours.
Additional information about Tribal Health’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic can be found at www.cskthealth.org.
COVID-19 vaccinations are also available to anyone ages 5 years and older while booster shots are also available for anyone over 12 years or older. Tribal Health notes the most convenient way to get a COVID-19 vaccine is to walk in to either the pharmacies in Polson or St. Ignatius and ask for the shot.
COVID-19 vaccination appointments for children between five and 11 years old can also be made online at https://www.mtreadyclinic.org. (Search for appointments using keywords: Tribal Health.) While appointments are preferred, Tribal Health notes walk-ins will not be turned away. The vaccines are available at the Ronan Health Center in Ronan on Wednesdays between 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
People needing additional COVID-19 information can contact Tribal Health at 406-745-3525.
The Montana state COVID-19 tracking map showed an additional 20 cases along with 153 active cases being reported in Lake County on Thursday. There have been 5,031 COVID-19 cases confirmed in Lake County to date, including 4,791 recoveries and 87 deaths.
A total of 16,997 county residents are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 representing 58% of the eligible population.