COVID-19 Tips for Bozeman: Dog Food, Soap and Numbers

City Commissioner, Terry Cunningham, has been a great resource for "good things" happening during this frightening time of COVID-19. Today is no different.

(As of Monday, 4/6/2020 at 10am, there have been 116 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Gallatin County.)

Daily Update / Tip: AS of Sunday, there have been 110 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Gallatin County. Interestingly, 55 of the cases are female members of our county and 55 are male; a 50%/50% split. The age range of those who have been tested and confirmed positive for the virus appears in the chart. There are too many unknown factors and variables in the data to draw any meaningful conclusions, but we know that this virus infects people of all ages. We are all susceptible to Covid-19.

FAQ: Q: I have the choice of washing my hands with soap and water or using hand sanitizer, which should I choose? A: Although hand sanitizer can be effective, the CDC recommends soap and water as choice #1. “There are important differences between washing hands with soap and water and cleaning them with hand sanitizer. For example, alcohol-based hand sanitizers don’t kill ALL types of germs, such as a stomach bug called norovirus, some parasites, and Clostridium difficile, which causes severe diarrhea. Hand sanitizers also may not remove dirt, grime, and harmful chemicals, such as pesticides and heavy metals like lead. Handwashing reduces the amounts of all types of germs, pesticides, and metals on hands.”

Pulling Together: Jane & Eric Mittelsteadt, owners of Dee-O-Gee in Bozeman are helping to ensure that clients of our local food bank have access to high quality dog food for their pets. According to their Facebook post: “We wanted to help take the stress off of pet owners, so they do not have to worry about how they're going to feed their pets. Let's continue to always raise each other up!”

What Can I Do? Don’t backslide! Now is not the time to let our collective guard down. It’s natural to become frustrated with the restrictions associated with a stay-at-home order – after all, we’re social beings – but we are no doubt making progress as a community in flattening the curve. Keep it up! Keep focused on the positive. Think of all of the people you haven’t been able to spend time with in person – and realize that not seeing them is actually helping to keep them safe. Keep them safe. Stay away from them.