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VDH COVID-19 Update: No new cases, no deaths, retail reopening, remdesivir coming to Vermont

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Daily Update on Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

May 11, 2020

New information is in red

Find this update at healthvermont.gov/covid19 by clicking the “See the Latest Update” button.

Please visit the Vermont Department of Health’s updated COVID-19 web pages — including the new data dashboard: healthvermont.gov/covid19.

The path to restart Vermont

Governor Phil Scott announced a gradual reopening of the retail sector starting on May 18. Stores will be required to stay under 25% of their maximum legal capacity and follow health and safety guidelines developed by the Agency of Commerce and Community Development. This includes all stores from mom and pops to big boxes and all items. For instance, Walmart and other department stores previously were limited to selling only food, pharmacy and necessary items.

Stores must meet the same guidelines developed for other businesses and nonprofits so far, including:

  • All employees must wear a face covering (customers are encouraged to wear them as well).
  • Maintain a distance of 6 feet between people.
  • Conduct health and safety training.

Governor Scott emphasized "if we continue taking a cautious approach – informed by data and with the help of Vermonters – we’ll be stronger and healthier when we get to the finish line."

Child care centers can reopen June 1 and summer day camps will be able to open this summer, provided they can follow safety guidelines expected to be issued this week. Education officials have also provided guidance on end-of-the-year gatherings. Large gatherings will not be permitted through the end of the school year, and events should be virtual.

Vermonters can now participate in outdoor recreation and limited social interactions under strict health and safety precautions. Read the Governor’s May 6 press release. Review the Health Department’s guidelines on how to weigh the risks and connect with family and friends safely.

Keep a list of your close contacts
As the state slowly reopens, Vermonters should consider keeping a contact journal – a list of other people who you have been in close contact with each day. If you did get sick, this would make it easier to get in touch with those people and so they can take proper precautions to prevent further spread of COVID-19.

Additional COVID-19 Testing Sites Open for Frontline Workers and Returning Vermonters

Vermont health officials announced three pop-up testing sites will open this week for COVID-19 specimen collection. A testing site in Colchester collected 138 specimens over the weekend.

The pop-up testing sites are for asymptomatic health care workers, first responders (EMS, fire, and law enforcement), and child care providers currently serving essential workers. People who are returning to the state, and who will be at day 7 or later in their quarantine period, can also be tested. These include people returning from wintering out of state, college students, and people who are coming to stay in their second homes.

The clinics will be held from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. at the following locations:

  • Tuesday, May 12: Bennington College, 1 College Drive, Bennington (follow signs for the Pop-Up Testing Site)
  • Thursday, May 14: Brattleboro Union High School, 131 Fairground Rd., Brattleboro
  • Saturday, May 16: Upper Valley Aquatic Center, 100 Arboretum Ln, White River Jct.

You must register for the clinics ahead of time: humanresources.vermont.gov/popups

All other Vermonters with even mild COVID symptoms can call their health care provider to get tested. Learn more at https://www.healthvermont.gov/covid19

Read the press release.

Vermonters with mild symptoms of COVID-19 can be tested

The Health Department encourages all Vermonters with even mild symptoms to contact their health care provider to get tested. This includes parents of children who have symptoms that could be related to COVID-19.

Your provider will refer you to a hospital or health center near you for the free testing. The sites. If you don’t have a health care provider call 2-1-1 to connect with a community or hospital-connected clinic.

Health Commission Mark Levine, MD, said Monday that Vermont will be one of a few states the CDC has chosen to receive remdesivir as a trial. Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has indicated that in early test results the anti-viral drug can possibly speed recovery from COVID-19. Fauci said the promising results suggest remdesivir inhibits the ability of the virus to infect cells.

Levine also said that while he is hopeful that a vaccine for COVID-19 will eventually be successful (given its structural components), he would not expect one for another year if not two. Given that, Vermonters need to remain vigilant in adhering to mitigation measures like social distancing, hand washing and wearing of face masks in certain situations, like in gatherings and in stores.

Be sure you know the symptoms associated with COVID-19.

In addition to fever, cough and shortness of breath, symptoms may include:

  • Chills
  • Repeated shaking with chills
  • Muscle pain
  • Headache
  • Sore throat
  • New loss of taste or smell

Health care professionals are urged to ensure Vermonters with any symptoms be tested. The state is expanding its testing and contact tracing capabilities and is ready with the necessary supplies and resources.

We are relying on health care professionals to help achieve this important public health goal. Visit healthvermont.gov/covid19-providers for more information.

By being tested for any associated symptoms, Vermonters can help us quickly identify and isolate outbreaks, and better understand COVID-19 in Vermont.

New on healthvermont.gov

The Health Department has posted a new Weekly Summary of Vermont COVID-19 Data to help tell a more in-depth story of how the virus has impacted people in our state. Among the data in the report are:

  • Prevalence of symptoms
  • Testing trends
  • Information about hospitalizations
  • Cases associated with outbreaks
  • Effect on people with preexisting conditions
  • Demographic data

The summary includes data from March 5 to May 7, 2020 and will be updated every Friday.

Our data dashboard on healthvermont.gov/covid19 now includes the estimated number of people who have recovered from COVID-19.

We calculate this recovery estimate in two ways:

  1. People who have tested positive for COVID-19 report they have recovered to our investigation teams during their follow-up calls.
  2. Thirty days or more have passed since the date the person’s illness began. (If that information is not available, we use the date the positive test is reported to the Health Department.)

    Read more info about our data by clicking on About Dashboard Data – New Questions on People Recovered – above the data dashboard.

Case Information

Current COVID-19 Activity in Vermont

As of 11:00 a.m. on May 11, 2020

Total cases*

926

Currently hospitalized

5

Hospitalized under investigation

9

Total people recovered

785

Deaths+

53

Total tests

20,871

People being monitored

23

People completed monitoring

846

*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 information on new data dashboard at healthvermont.gov/covid19 by clicking on the map of Vermont.

Guidance for Vermonters

Accessing Emergency Care

Vermont hospitals are safe. If you are having symptoms of a serious medical condition, such as heart attack or stroke, seek medical care right away. Please always wear a face covering when going to a hospital, health care provider or Emergency Department.

Who to contact:

  • If you are having a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 or go to the hospital.
  • If you are having symptoms of COVID-19, call your health care provider.
  • Most information is online: Visit our regularly updated Frequently Asked Questions.

You can also type in a question to our Ask A Question tool.

  • If you still have health-related COVID-19 questions, call the Health Department at 802-863-7240.
  • For non-health related questions, dial 2-1-1 or 1-866-652-4636.

Keep a Distance and Wear a Mask

We still need to physically distance ourselves from one another and follow other health guidance. Keep 6 feet between you and other people, and give each other a wide berth when walking or biking. Make wearing cloth face coverings a habit whenever we leave home. Learn more about why and how we need to wear masks.

Enjoying the outdoors? Remember to take the usual precautions to stay safe and healthy. Ticks are out, so make sure you know how to Be Tick Smart: healthvermont.gov/BeTickSmart.

For more outdoors information, visit: https://fpr.vermont.gov/recreation/outdoor-recreation-and-covid-19

Take Care of Your Emotional and Mental Health

Feeling anxious, confused, overwhelmed or powerless is common during an infectious disease outbreak. If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs emotional support, help is available 24/7: