by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine For the week ending August 3, the Vermont Department of Health reported that the number of COVID-19 cases in Vermont remains much higher than in the spring, but related deaths have been low. COVID fatalities are at 1,161 since the beginning of the pandemic over four years ago. The weekly report also shows that hospitalizations and general "syndromic" cases remain low but have increased somewhat in the last few weeks to about 10 people being treated at a Vermont hospital each week.
The number of COVID cases is elevated and there were 236 cases reported last week. Cases had been falling in April and May and were as low as 31 at the beginning of May.
Along with the case numbers, wastewater monitoring has shown spikes in virus in Burlington and Montpelier.
The pandemic death total stands at 1,161 as of August 3, 2024 (the most recent data available). Total reported deaths in January were 29, which is the highest monthly total since November 2022. There were 16 fatalities in February, 12 in March, 3 in April, 6 in May, 2 in June, 3 so far in July and 1 in August. June deaths were the fewest from COVID since July 2021.
Of the total deaths to date, 936 have been of Vermonters 70 or older. There have been 4 deaths of Vermonters under 30 since the beginning of the pandemic.
John Davy, Ph.D, Epidemiologist/COVID-19 Coordinator for the VDH, told VermontBiz that, "As of July 20th, wastewater and emergency department admissions suggest a current level of COVID-19 activity that is similar to what we saw in March of 2024. This level is lower than we saw in December 2023 through February 2024, but we have seen a slow upward trend in the last several weeks.
"The current level of activity does not indicate that most Vermonters need to change their behavior in day-to-day settings, he said. Vermonters are still encouraged to stay up to date on all vaccinations, such as getting the most recent COVID-19 booster; practice good hand washing and cover any coughs or sneezes; and to stay home when sick. Vermonters should consider wearing a mask around others if they are at high risk of serious illness, if they have recently been around someone with symptoms of respiratory sickness (such as a cough or fever), or if they have recently been sick with a respiratory virus. Those who do have symptoms should consider taking a COVID-19 test. This is particularly helpful for those at risk of serious illness, as test results may inform treatment. Information about accessing tests and other resources are available on our website, healthvermont.gov.
"In the past week, the Health Department has received over ten reports of outbreaks in long-term care facilities, significantly more than we have received in recent months. These facilities have been in contact with the Health Department and provided with guidance for heightened infection control practices. Nursing and certain other health care facilities still have more stringent COVID-protection and reporting guidelines, regardless of whether they are experiencing an outbreak.
"If you are visiting a loved one in a nursing home or other health care facility, consider delaying your visit if you have respiratory symptoms or have recently been around someone who had COVID-19 or another virus. Please consider masking and keeping your distance from others during your visit. When possible, delay your visit if you are sick. Consider wearing a mask if you will be attending a health care visit, and please wear one if you are experiencing symptoms or have recently been sick with COVID or another respiratory illness.
Evidence suggests, Davy said, that COVID-19 is continuing to lead to less severe illness in the population. COVID-19 can still lead to severe outcomes, however, particularly for individuals in specific risk groups, such as immunocompromised individuals, people age 65 and older, individuals with heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes, or those with certain other medical conditions. We encourage Vermonters to continue to try to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in their communities.
Report Timeframe: May 5 to May 11, 2024
- Reported cases 236 (234 previous week).
- Total deaths: 1,161 (up 2 from previous week).
- Hospital visits, about 10 (unchanged).
(see data tables below)
The hospitalizations dataset contains day-level data reported from all Vermont hospitals each Tuesday. Reported numbers are subject to correction.
The number of reportable COVID-19 cases is still available in this report, below. Laboratory-confirmed and diagnosed COVID-19 cases and COVID-19 outbreaks must still be reported to the Vermont Department of Health.
There were 8 outbreaks last week; with 5 at Long-Term Care Facilities.
Vermont has the second lowest state fatality rate in the US (134.7 per 100K; Hawaii 108.5/100K). Mississippi (452.1/100K) and Oklahoma (448.1/100K) have the highest rates. The US average is 299.6/100K (CDC data).
There has been a total of 1,196,526 COVID-related deaths to date in the US (CDC) and 7,056,108 globally (WHO).
The VDH reported on May 22 that a second juvenile in the "Under 10" age range has died of COVID-19 since the pandemic began here in March 2020. It has been a year and a half since a Vermonter under the age of 30 has died from COVID. The VDH changed its reporting methods in 2022.
The VDH sent this report on the most recent under 30 deaths:
- Recent pediatric death: Child <10 years of age, January 2024 in Caledonia County. It was formally reported in May once the data and death certificate were confirmed.
- The previous pediatric death: Child <10 years of age, August 2022 in Rutland County.
- The previous death of a person ages 20-29 was January 2023, in Orange County.
CDC states that already an estimated 97% of Americans have some level of immunity, from either vaccination or infection or both, which they said will help keep down new transmission and lessen serious outcomes.
More recently, on March 7, 2024, a study by a nationwide collaborative group including University of Vermont Larner scientists, published in Nature Communications, explored how the human body responded to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines—such as PfizerBioNTech Moderna. Both vaccines work by helping the body produce antibodies against the COVID-19 virus’s spike protein, but the study team found that the efficacy of the vaccines varied among subjects.
Researchers found that individuals over the age of 65, men, those with higher weight, smokers, diabetics, and those with a history of emphysema tended to have lower antibody levels. To contrast, subjects who had been diagnosed with COVID-19 previously—particularly those with COVID-19 severe enough to lead to hospitalization—had significantly higher levels of anti-S1 than other groups in the study. Surprisingly, those who had taken the Moderna vaccine also reported a significantly higher level of anti-S1 than the PfizerBioNTech recipients.
Following an analysis of COVID-19 data, the VDH reported in January 2023 a cumulative 86 additional COVID-associated deaths that occurred over the course of the pandemic but had not been previously reported. Most of those deaths occurred in 2022.
As of April 30, 2024, hospitals are no longer required to report COVID-19 Hospital data. CDC strongly encourages hospitals to continue reporting these data, but following the May 1st COVID-19 Surveillance Report, the Vermont Department of Health will no longer be providing updated Hospitalization Levels with their weekly report.
The average hospitalization has fallen under one per day, while the Seven-Day Rolling Average of people coming to emergency departments of the state's hospitals with a COVID diagnosis is under 5.
Starting May 8th, the COVID-19 Surveillance Report includes additional information on the impact of COVID-19 in Vermont.
Vermont Department of Health recommendations: Preventing COVID-19 (healthvermont.gov)
Early Indicators
Severity Indicators
CDC | Test Positivity data through: August 3, 2024; Emergency Department Visit data through: August 3, 2024; Hospitalization data through: July 20, 2024; Death data through: August 3, 2024.
Posted: August 12, 2024 5:42 PM ET
The Delta variant took off in August 2021, which resulted in the heaviest number of deaths before vaccines and their boosters helped alleviate serious COVID cases. Multiple Omicron variants are now circulating and appear more virulent than previous variants, but perhaps not more dangerous, according to the CDC.
AP April 5, 2023: WHO downgrades COVID pandemic, says it's no longer a global health emergency
Walk-in vaccination clinics run by the state closed on January 31, 2023. Learn more
Vermonters are reminded that all state COVID testing sites were closed as of June 25, 2022. PCR and take-home tests are available through doctors' offices, pharmacies and via mail from the federal government. The federal government officially ended its pandemic response as of May 11, 2023. See more information BELOW or here: https://www.healthvermont.gov/covid-19/testing.
Starting May 11, 2023, the CDC and Vermont Department of Health will no longer use the COVID-19 Community Level to measure COVID-19 activity in the U.S. and Vermont. Instead, Vermont's statewide COVID-19 level will be measured by the rate of COVID-19 in people being admitted to the hospital, per 100,000 residents.
Focusing on hospitalization data is a better estimate of how COVID-19 is impacting the community now that reported COVID-19 cases represent a smaller proportion of actual infections. This also allows us to compare Vermont’s hospitalization levels with other parts of the country.
The Delta variant caused a surge in COVID-related fatalities last fall and into the winter.
The highest concentration of deaths was from September 2021 through February 2022. Overall, December 2020 and January 2022 were the worst months with 72 fatalities each.
The US confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on January 20, 2020.
Vermonters ages 6 months and older are eligible for COVID-19 vaccines. Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is the safer way to build protection from serious illness–even for those who have already had COVID-19. Learn more about COVID-19 vaccines (CDC)
COVID-19 vaccines are free and widely available. Anyone can get vaccinated in Vermont, including those who live in another state, are non-U.S. citizens, or who have no insurance. See Vermont's current vaccine rates
You can get free COVID-19 vaccines at:
- Your health care provider’s office
- A pharmacy
- Other locations where you get your vaccines
Know your rights when getting free vaccines.
Stay Up to Date with Your Vaccines
You are considered up-to-date if you are over the age of 6 years old and have received a bivalent (updated) COVID-19 vaccine. Learn more about kid vaccines
You may be eligible for additional COVID-19 vaccine doses if:
- You are 65 years of age and older and received your first bivalent (updated) COVID-19 vaccine booster four or more months ago.
- You are moderately or severely immunocompromised
and received a bivalent (updated) COVID-19 vaccine booster two or more months ago.
If you are unable or choose not to get a recommended bivalent mRNA vaccine, you will be up to date if you received the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine doses approved for your age group.
Find more on recommended doses from CDC
Important Links
COVID Vaccine Information for Health Care Professionals
More on COVID-19 Vaccines (CDC)
Recommended COVID Vaccine Doses (CDC)
Find a COVID-19 vaccine near you.
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Use Vaccines.gov to find a location near you, then call or visit the location's website to make an appointment.
COVID-19 Vaccines for Children
Everyone 6 months of age and older is eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccination. Most children are also now eligible for a bivalent dose that offers increased protection against the original strain and omicron variants.
Children 6 months through 5 years of age who received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID·19 vaccine are up to date if:
- They are 6 months to 4 years of age and received at least three COVID-19 vaccine doses, including at least one bivalent (updated) COVID-19 vaccine dose.
- They are 5 years of age and got at least one bivalent (updated) COVID-19 vaccine dose.
Children 6 months through 5 years of age who got the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are up to date if:
- They received at least two Moderna COVID-19 vaccine doses, including at least one bivalent (updated) COVID-19 vaccine dose.
See more on recommended vaccine doses by age group (CDC)
Resources for parents and caregivers
https://www.vermontfamilynetwork.org/ccfk/
Tips for Helping Kids Feel Ready for Any Vaccine (Vermont Family Network)
What Families with Children Should Know About COVID-19 Vaccines (translated)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWcqHOgQIVg&t=5s
Conversations About COVID-19 Vaccines for Children with Vermont Pediatricians (American Academy of Pediatrics)
Help Getting Vaccinated
If you cannot get vaccines through any of the options above, our local health offices
offer immunization clinics by appointment.
Need a ride? If you do not have transportation to get a free COVID-19 vaccine or booster, please contact your local public transportation provider or call Vermont Public Transportation Association (VPTA)
at 833-387-7200.
English language learners, or immigrant or refugee community members, who would like to learn about more about vaccine clinics can contact the Association of Africans Living in Vermont
(AALV) at 802-985-3106.
New Vaccine Cards and Requesting Vaccine Records
If you lost your vaccine card or your information is wrong:
- You may be able to get a new CDC COVID-19 vaccination card at the pharmacy or health care provider’s practice where you were vaccinated. Not all pharmacies or providers provide this service.
- Vermont Immunization Registry (IMR) can give you a copy of your vaccination record by mail (within a week) or secure email (within two business days). NOTE: The IMR and CDC cannot issue you a new white CDC COVID-19 vaccination card or provide QR codes. Instructions on how to request vaccine records
Recommendations for keeping your vaccination card and record up to date
Videos and Factsheets with Translations
Find more COVID-19 translations
COVID-19 resources for people who are deaf and hard of hearing
State Walk-In Vaccination Clinics Closed (January 2023)
Report your COVID-19 test results
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