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Vermont Business Magazine Closing time used to have a different meaning before we'd ever heard of the novel coronavirus. Now it means just plain closed. Governor Phil Scott Monday afternoon added to his executive order from last Friday and has ordered all bars and restaurants closed across the state starting at 2 pm, March 17, St Patrick's Day. The irony was lost on no one.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger announced that all bars are ordered to close and in-person dining to cease for at least 24 hours starting at 6 am tomorrow (Governor Scott subsequently extended that order to the entire state and until April 6); the city also is suspending disconnections of municipal utility services until further notice and working to put together a broad relief package; and the city also will close or restrict access to all city buildings and curtail many non-essential city services starting Wednesday, including closing the library.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont Department of Labor announced the seasonally-adjusted statewide unemployment rate for January was 2.4 percent. According to household data, this reflects no change from the revised December rate. The preliminary data released in January showed a labor force participation rate of 65.6 percent which is the lowest statewide level since September 1977. All three major metrics were slightly worse than last month, as the labor force and number of employed were down and the number of unemployed increased. Vermont, which has had the lowest rate in the nation, is now tied for second with South Carolina. North Dakota is number one at 2.3 percent. Alaska is highest at 6.0 percent. The comparable United States rate in January was 3.6 percent, up 0.1 of a percentage point from the revised December estimate.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine At Governor Phil Scott's press conference this morning he announced that he has amended his executive order on mass gatherings to a maximum of 50 people or 50 percent of occupancy of the facility, whichever is smaller. This excludes places like airports, bus or train stations. Meanwhile, the Vermont Department of Health Laboratory also today reported another four cases of the new coronavirus COVID-19. All are Vermont residents. To date, the lab has reported eight positive cases among Vermonters, and four cases among non-Vermonters. These Vermont lab results are considered confirmed. Scott also further explained his mandate that all public schools close by the end of Tuesday.

Vermont Business Magazine In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Phil Scott has announced a Continuity of Education Plan for the orderly dismissal of all schools, and cancellation of all school related activities, no later than Wednesday, March 18. This directive, which will be distributed to schools later today, will last through April 6 -- but may very well be extended for a longer period.

Governor Scott’s directive will task local districts with three key components to support the state response:

· Food and special needs services for children;

· Collaborating with the state to provide childcare options for healthcare workers and others essential to the response; and

· Systems for ensuring maintenance of education during the initial dismissal; and a continuing education plan if schools are dismissed for an extended period.

Vermont Business Magazine One of the new positive cases of novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, announced today by the Vermont Department of Health, is a patient who was referred for testing to the University of Vermont Medical Center. The patient is self-quarantining at home.

Leonine Public Affairs It was a surreal week for the world, the nation and the state. Inside the golden dome was no exception. On Saturday, March 7, Health Department Officials announced Vermont’s first presumptive positive case of COVID-19. Public gatherings and events began to shut down in an effort to limit the spread of the virus, and Vermont officials immediately began holding press conferences and addressing protocols, contingency plans and trying to alleviate public fears while keeping citizens safe. On Sunday, Governor Scott ordered the schools to close.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Education Secretary French sent a letter to Vermont school board members, superintendents, principals and independent school heads of school Saturday regarding school closures related to COVID-19. Governor Scott in his state emergency declaration on Friday evening did not order the public schools to close and recommended instead that they stay open because of the impact it would have on health care providers and on the children. Scott however left that final decision to parents and the districts themselves. Superintendents across the state are meeting today.

Vermont Business Magazine Most Vermont ski resorts have suspended operations because of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. Some have just suspended operations for this week through March 22 while others have cancelled the rest of the ski season. In Governor Scott's state emergency declaration Friday, he did not order the ski resorts to close. As of Sunday morning, Smugglers' Notch is still open.

Vermont Business Magazine As of Saturday afternoon the Vermont Department of Health reported three new presumptive positive cases in Vermont of the new coronavirus COVID-19. To date, there are now four presumptive positive cases and one case that has been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The first is a Windsor County male over the age of 80. He is hospitalized at the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in White River Junction, Vermont. The second is a Washington County male in his 50’s. He was initially treated at Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin, Vermont. He is currently in home isolation, following CVMC’s home care protocols. The third new presumptive positive case is also a male in his 50’s. He is a resident of Westchester County, New York. He was evaluated and tested at Springfield Hospital in Springfield, Vermont, and is self-isolating.

by Secretary of State Jim Condos Trust in government is at an all-time low. As you can see playing out before our eyes in the news today, integrity is at a premium in times of crisis. Truth and transparency are necessary to effective leadership. In Vermont, we take great pride in having a government that is more accessible and more trusted than those in other states, but over the years I have seen Americans, including Vermonters, grow increasingly frustrated with those times when they feel like their government is not operating openly and transparently.