GREAT FALLS — Two businesses have been temporarily closed on the Blackfeet Reservation by order of the COVID-19 Compliance Task Force.
Blackfeet Covid-19 Incident Command said in a Facebook post that the two businesses are a Town Pump station, and Glacier Way Convenience Store (aka "Coops Corner").
The order was announced on Wednesday, July 8th, and said that the following criteria must be met before the two businesses can reopen:
- 1. Complete store sanitation,
- 2. Every employee must be tested for COVID-19, with results reported negative,
- 3. Abide by ordinance 121, including mask and social distance mandates.
The decision was made as a safety precaution for staff, customers, and general public. Gas pumps will continue to operate via gas terminal card payment system.
We spoke with Eileen Henderson, who's the public information officer of the Blackfeet tribe; she said, "As we are learning, the COVID-19 Coronavirus does not discriminate, and they had possible contamination from either workers or persons in the store who may have tested positive for Coronavirus. And so far, as a safety precaution, our compliance crew shut those businesses down until they are in compliance and compliance means that each essential employee must be tested for COVID-19 and have negative test results back and this is for the overall public safety and the safety of those working at that facility."
The Blackfeet tribe is looking for a quarantine facility on the reservation.
If you have questions about the order, you're asked to call the Blackfeet COVID-19 hotline at 406-338-2946 or 406-338-2231.
The Blackfeet COVID-19 Ordinance states:
- Curfew from 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
- Social distancing
- Face masks required at all times while in public
- Stay-at-Home order (until July 11, 2020)
- Sale of alcohol: 12:00 – 8:00 p.m. (Mon.-Weds.); 12:00 – 6:00 p.m. (Thurs.); CLOSED for sale (Fri.-Sun.)
- Vacation rental closures
- Closure of entrances to Glacier National Park located within the Blackfeet Reservation
- Closure of roads within the Blackfeet Reservation to non-essential travel
- Quarantine for 14 days if you have traveled to an area infected with COVID-19
