VDH COVID-19 Update: Cases level off, vaccines increasing

Daily Update on Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

February 2, 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

Please visit the Vermont Department of Health’s COVID-19 web and data pages
healthvermont.gov/covid19

Vaccination Update

More than 55,000 people have now been vaccinated in Vermont, including 19,500 who have received both doses.

Health Department vaccination sites remained open today despite the snowy weather, with a minimal number of people needing to reschedule, state officials said at Tuesday’s press conference.

Governor Scott said that he and the governors were notified today by the White House that vaccine doses will be increasing by 5 percent, not including what may be coming from any new vaccines that could get approved by the FDA.

The Health Department is also reminding people that you must have an appointment to be vaccinated. Clinics are NOT open to walk-ins, and people should not show up at clinics looking for “extra doses.” Vaccine to be used is carefully managed, so please do not call the Health Department and ask to be put on a list to be told of extras – there is no such list.

Keep Up Prevention & Avoid Gatherings

Punxsutawney Phil said we are in for six more weeks of winter, and likewise, Vermont has many more weeks of effort needed to keep COVID-19 at bay.

Health Commissioner Mark Levine, MD said Tuesday that though we’ve been very focused on vaccination, we cannot ignore the work we’ve been doing — and still need to do — to stop the spread of COVID-19.

“You know it by now, and it’s as critically important today as it has been for nearly a year: 6-foot spaces, masks on faces, uncrowded places,” Dr. Levine said. “We also still need to avoid gathering with people we don’t live with right now.”

COVID-19 finds its way into gatherings, and once it does, it spreads easily. And then it spreads again, from person to person, into households, work places, houses of worship and beyond, leading to more concerning community spread, he said.

“We’ve worked so hard at this for so many months now, please don’t let up now. Not when we’re so much closer to being protected by a vaccine,” Dr. Levine said.

HHS Secretary Mike Smith said at Governor Scott's press briefing today that they are working toward increasing visitation and other in-house services for residents of long-term care facilities.

He said they are very aware of the toll that isolation has taken on seniors because of the pandemic, both physically and socially.

Now that large numbers of seniors have been vaccinated, the state will come up with a plan that would include loosening some visitation rules and allowing residents more flexibility for things like communal dining.

Smith said they do have to wait a while longer because it takes a few weeks after the second dose of vaccine to ensure immunity. But he stressed that this is at the top of their priority list.

Also possibly coming farther down the road, literally and figuratively, are rules loosening events, such as for parades.

While Dr Levine said there won't be any St Patrick Day parades, he's optimistic, and wants Vermonters to be optimistic, that summertime gatherings are a possibility. He said he is no ruling out even Memorial Day parades in May. But, again, this all will require continued vigilance on the part of Vermonters.

DFR Commissioner Michael Pieciak said at the press briefing that cases in Vermont, in our region and across the nation are leveling off and in some cases going down, including the number of fatalities.

He presented his weekly briefing, which can be found HERE. However, the notable exception to this good news is the number of hospitalizations and ICU patients, which remain at relatively high levels. And nationally the number of deaths has only leveled off. January was the deadliest month since the beginning of the pandemic, with nearly 100,000 Americans losing their lives to COVID-19.

Locally, Pieciak said there continues to be a relatively high level of cases in Bennington County. While there isn't a single-point outbreak they can point to, Pieciak and Dr Levine suggested that the proximity to New York could be one reason. The case counts just across the border are more similar to what is happening in Bennington County than in the rest of Vermont.

Protect Yourself and Others By Getting Tested

If you want to get tested for COVID-19 and have no symptoms, you can visit a location near you. There are now more than 15 regular locations throughout the state, and more of them are now open daily. Many sites now allow you to take a sample yourself, using a short swab in your nose. It’s quick, easy and free.

Register for a test by visiting healthvermont.gov/covid19testing. (You will need to create an account to register.)

If you have symptoms of COVID-19, please contact your health care provider so they can refer you for testing. If you don’t have a provider, you can call 2-1-1.

New on healthvermont.gov

Of the more than 1,100 child care programs in Vermont, there have been 6 outbreaks. That means fewer than 1% of child care programs have had an outbreak. Learn more about COVID-19 in Child Care Settings in the latest Weekly Data Summary Spotlight.

Case Information

Current COVID-19 Activity in Vermont

As of 12 p.m. on February 2, 2021

* Includes testing conducted at the Health Department Laboratory, commercial labs and other public health labs.

+ Death occurring in persons known to have COVID-19. Death certificate may be pending.

Hospitalization data is provided by the Vermont Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Coalition and is based on hospitals updating this information.

Find more data at: healthvermont.gov/currentactivity.

Guidance for Vermonters and Businesses

Health information, guidance and data: healthvermont.gov/covid19

Sector guidance: accd.vermont.gov/covid-19

Modeling: dfr.vermont.gov/about-us/covid-19/modeling

Governor’s actions: governor.vermont.gov/covid19response

Get the information you need at our Frequently Asked Questions.

School & Child Care Guidance

• Strong and Healthy Start: Safety and Health Guidance for Vermont Schools
• Mental Health: A Strong and Healthy Start: Social, Emotional and Mental Health Supports During COVID-19
• Child care: Health Guidance for Child Care and Out of School Care

More resources on the Your Community web page.

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.

For more information visit healthvermont.gov/suicide.

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.