Whitefish forms task force aimed at slowing spread of COVID-19

Whitefish community leaders, including representatives of the city and Whitefish School District, have created a COVID-19 task force.

Forming the group came about as Whitefish and Flathead County are in a “crisis situation” regarding the spike of COVID-19 numbers, according to a release from the city.

The task force includes members from the school district, city, medical community, visitors bureau, Whitefish Mountain Resort, Flathead City-County Health Department and representatives from businesses.

“This is about community health, and sustaining the Whitefish economy,” said Mayor John Muhlfeld, who is a member of the task force. “If we are diligent, we can keep our community safe and our town open.”

Flathead County had more than 400 active cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday morning, according to the health department, and Whitefish had 40 active cases. The county has seen more than 3,600 total confirmed cases of the virus.

In the Whitefish School District as of Oct. 28, there had been 15 cases at Muldown Elementary, and 16 at both the middle and high schools, according to the state.

The county health department has continued to urge folks to wear masks and limit social gatherings to slow the spread of the virus.

The Whitefish task force plans to meet regularly, and expects to assess changing health measures and guidance, develop and distribute educational materials, and invest in marketing and promotion to reach the entire community. The group’s first task was to assign a crisis communications committee to begin work on a unified campaign.

Ultimately, the purpose of the task force is to stop or slow spread of COVID-19 in Whitefish so that schools and businesses can stay open, according to a release.

Whitefish City Manger Dana Smith said the task force is working on a project to help create educational messaging about why it’s important to follow health guidelines, and also for what visitors can expect when they come to Whitefish.

“It will be a really great outcome for the community,” she said. “What we’re hearing from businesses is that we need this messaging. What can people expect when they show up to Whitefish, not just for those out of state but when you come from Columbia Falls or Kalispell, what can you expect.”

Priorities are protecting those most vulnerable in the community, supporting the stressed healthcare system, and keeping frontline and service workers at their jobs, the release notes. The campaign’s messaging is expected to encourage community-wide participation in a unified set of health measures.

City Council last week sent a letter to the county health board saying the board disregarded the “health and well-being” of citizens with its recent decision not to enact restrictions as recommended by the health officer based upon increasing confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the county.

On Monday, the county health board tied on a vote that would have placed a 500-person limit on indoor events and gatherings, thus the measure failed.

Montana on Friday reported a record of 1,063 new cases of COVID-19, which passed the state’s previous one-day high of 924 cases reported on Oct. 21. There had been about 34,250 confirmed cases statewide as of Tuesday morning, according to the state.