Data website shows Montana stay-at-home measures are working
MISSOULA, Mont. — There’s some promising news coming out of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation that shows all the work we’re doing staying home is actually making a big difference.
We first showed you this site on March 30. On that date, the site predicted Montana would reach its COVID-19 peak in cases at the very end of April. Now it’s showing we will peak around April 15, about two weeks sooner.
Last week, the website predicted Montana would be short about 48 ICU beds at our peak, but now there’s no shortage projected at all. On March 30, the site also projected, with good social distancing, Montana hospitalization cases would level out by July. Now it’s showing mid-May. Our projected deaths went from somewhere around 400 down to 22.
Remember, these numbers are all dependent on our behavior. If we start ignoring the stay-at-home and social distancing orders, the numbers will likely go back up.
So hang in there, Montana! These numbers show all of our combined efforts are worth it so we can be together again soon.
