Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health is reporting a relatively low number of COVID-19 cases today. There were 59 new cases but also three deaths for a statewide total of 186. Cases in Vermont and across the region and across the nation are falling. But fatalities are still high, but they too are expected to fall.
Cases in Bennington and Rutland counties, which have been high of late, appear to be due more to general community spread than to any large outbreak. But those elevated numbers, including those in Franklin County, puts the state's case projections at a higher rate than in the region or across the US.
Also, vaccine doses are being boosted by the Federal government as Walgreens will now be a distribution site for those 75 years or older. You must still pre-register.
COVID-19 Daily Update
February 9, 2021
New or updated information is in red and bold
This update is available online at healthvermont.gov/covid19
Click the “See the Latest Update” button
Help curb spread of COVID-19 by getting tested, Dr. Levine urges
At Tuesday’s press conference Health Commissioner Mark Levine, MD, encouraged Vermonters to get tested for COVID-19. Noting the higher number of cases in Bennington, Rutland and Franklin counties relative to the rest of Vermont, Dr. Levine said testing is a key part of reducing spread of the virus and announced the addition of two new testing opportunities in Manchester, Vermont:
- Thursday, Feb. 11 at the Dana Thompson Parker House on 340 Recreation Park Road in Manchester from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Saturday, Feb. 13 and Feb. 20 at the SVMC Northshire campus, 5957 Main Street – Route 7A in Manchester, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
We encourage Vermonters in the area take advantage of these new test sites, along with existing ones, as are seeing increased spread of the virus at this time, Dr. Levine said.
“No matter what county you live in, we hope Vermonters will use testing as a tool in this careful balancing act … living our lives while staying safe during the pandemic,” Dr. Levine said.
You can make an appointment to be tested by visiting healthvermont.gov/testing.
Governor Scott said he was told today at a White House briefing with the nation's governors today that the federal government has contracted with Walgreens to send about 1,000 more vaccine doses a week to Vermont. These are still targeted to the same 75+ age band. People can sign up through the VDH website or by going directly to the Walgreens website, but everyone must register first.
The governor said it would be simpler to manage if the doses came straight to the state, but he is still happy that Vermonters will have more vaccine to help keep people safe.
Set up an account or make an appointment. Or call 855-722-7878.
Vaccination clinics reach people impacted by health disparities
Dr. Levine said the state’s efforts to vaccinate Vermonters in some communities where people speak languages other than English began last week with two clinics.
The clinics focus on households with members aged 75 and older — and their family members age 16 and older — who require linguistically and culturally appropriate services, he said. This includes working with cultural brokers, having interpreters on hand or easily accessible, and providing accurately translated materials.
“We understand that language barriers and other factors faced by immigrant and New American communities have led to outbreaks, disproportionate outcomes and a markedly greater risk of COVID-19,” Dr. Levine said. “I’m proud that we’ve been able to take these steps quickly, to align with our data-driven approach to prioritize those most at risk of severe illness and save lives.”
“We have learned from our experiences throughout the state’s pandemic response that it makes good public health sense – logically and logistically – to allow household members facing language and access barriers to get information and services at the same time, rather than duplicate these services later on,” Dr. Levine added.
“We still have much more to do to address the significant disparities in the rates of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and death among communities of color. But we hope this coordinated vaccination effort is an important step in working with trusted community partner networks to reach some of the most historically underserved people in Vermont.”
Prepare for your vaccination by creating an online account
Good news! Even if your age group is not yet eligible, you can still get a step ahead by creating your account in our system. That way, when your age group is up, it'll be smooth sailing to sign up for your first dose. Learn more: healthvermont.gov/MyVaccine.
If you had a Super(bowl) Sunday gathering, please quarantine and get tested
If you gathered with people you don’t live with this past weekend, it’s important to lower the risk of spreading COVID-19. Please quarantine and get tested right away — and again on day 7 or later. If the test you take on day 7 is negative, then your quarantine can end. (Otherwise, quarantine is 14 days). Find free testing near you at healthvermont.gov/covid-19/testing.
New on healthvermont.gov
One of the best ways to stop the spread of COVID-19 is by getting tested as soon as you start to feel sick. See the latest Weekly Data Summary Spotlight and learn more about the average amount of time between symptom onset and when the Health Department receives a person’s test result — so that public health response can begin.
COVID-19 Activity in Vermont
As of 12 p.m. on February 9, 2021
Data is updated daily.
|
Description |
Number |
||
|
New cases* |
59 (13,105 total) |
||
|
Currently hospitalized |
53 |
||
|
Hospitalized in ICU |
13 |
||
|
Hospitalized under investigation |
7 |
||
|
Percent Positive (7-day average) |
1.7% |
||
|
People tested |
313,166 |
||
|
Total tests |
937,330 |
||
|
Total people recovered |
9,866 |
||
|
Deaths+ |
186 |
||
|
Travelers monitored |
187 |
||
|
Contacts monitored |
183 |
||
|
People completed monitoring |
12,957 |
Find more data on COVID-19 Activity at: healthvermont.gov/currentactivity.
COVID-19 Vaccine Data
As of 12 p.m. on February 6, 2021
Data is updated Tuesdays through Saturdays.
|
Description |
Number |
||
|
Total people who have received least one dose of vaccine |
65,098 |
||
|
Total people who have received two doses of vaccine (completed) |
28,503 |
Find more vaccine data on the COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard: healthvermont.gov/covid19-vaccine-data.
Additional Resources About Vaccination and More
- Find answers to your questions about the COVID-19 vaccine from the CDC: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/faq.html.
- Get Vermont-specific information in our Frequently Asked Questions.
- Sign up for the COVID-19 Weekly Email Update.
- Find information sheets, posters and toolkits on our Resources web page, in addition to translated materials.
Take Care of Your Emotional and Mental Health
If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs emotional support, help is available 24/7:
Call your local mental health crisis line.
Text VT to 741741 to talk with someone at the Crisis Text Line.
Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
You can also get more information and resources:
Visit our Coping with Stress web page.
Get connected to Alcohol and Drug Support Services at VT Helplink.
Get self-help tips and connect to mental health services at COVID Support VT.