Common Sense Steps
Aren't As Difficult Anymore
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With COVID case counts growing in Vermont, it may seem lately like our very responsible state just can’t catch a break. Here we are 22+ months into the pandemic and our COVID positivity rate is high, ICUs are stretched thin and overall hospital capacity continues to be stressed.
In Vermont, as the pandemic dawned, we distanced from one another early and often, even at great expense to our family connections and social lives. We wore masks in public and often in private, and always when we shopped for groceries. We took great care gathering even with those closest to us. And then, when vaccines became widely available, Vermonters lined up to get their shots, resulting in our leading and widely envied vaccination rate.
Despite all of this, right now Vermont is in the top quarter of states for new case growth. We have limited ICU capacity, sometimes only even a handful of available beds statewide. It shows that the Delta variant, as VDH Commissioner Dr. Levine says, is aggressive and unforgiving and good at finding unvaccinated people. This pattern allows COVID to continue menacing us, even with such a small slice of our population unprotected.
Now winter is coming and the flu season along with it. We cannot afford to let down our guard, even though we’ve heard way too much that it is time to gear up for another round of mitigation measures. Here’s the thing to remember: this isn’t as difficult anymore. We can take some common-sense steps—that do not cause great inconvenience—to protect ourselves and others:
- Get vaccinated, complete vaccination and get a booster shot. The single most important thing we can do is get a vaccine to gain immunity from COVID-19. Get your own shots (the COVID vaccine and a flu shot—you can get them at the same time), and gently and thoughtfully encourage friends and family to get theirs.
- Wear masks in public spaces. We are used to it by now, it’s not that annoying. There will come a time when face coverings are not even in our cars or our pockets, but that time is not yet here. To prevent the spread of COVID, flu and wintertime illness, put on the mask.
- Choose gatherings carefully. With holidays coming, it is safe to be with vaccinated friends and family—and welcomed! If you are attending a party or get-together, know the vaccination status of those attending and carefully consider which events to prioritize. The more people, the more risk. Making these evaluations will help minimize your exposure and the odds that you inadvertently expose someone else.
We do not want more Vermonters to contract COVID. We do not want our hospitals to find themselves even more distressed and challenged to meet intensifying need. And we do not want our health care workers any more burned out and overwhelmed than they already are.
So, please, take the steps listed above and encourage others to do the same. Our ability to put down the masks and move on depends on it. Have a great, safe week.
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Vt. officials continue to keep close eye on ICU capacity |
WCAX
After spending most of the past year with the lowest COVID numbers in the county, Vermont now has the highest case rate in New England, and officials say they remain concerned about what this trajectory could mean for ICU capacity in hospitals.
For the first time since June, Governor Phil Scott and other administration officials were masked for their weekly press briefing Tuesday.
“Sometimes you have to practice what you preach. It’s as much symbolism as anything else. I just thought it was a good idea that we show that it’s okay during this time that you wear a mask in certain situations,” Scott said.
The state continues to confront a post-Halloween COVID surge. Officials say Vermont cases have increased 42% in the past week and are projected to hit upwards of 500 cases daily within a month. Hospitalizations and deaths are also expected to remain high in the coming weeks.
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Highly-vaccinated Vermont has more COVID-19 cases than ever. Why is this happening? |
ABC News
Vermont is one of the most vaccinated states in the country and has served as a model for its COVID-19 response throughout the pandemic. But now, the state is experiencing its worst COVID-19 surge yet, with several factors -- including its own success -- to blame, officials said.
In Vermont, nearly 72% of residents are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 -- more than any other state, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. At the same time, it has the 12th-highest rate of new COVID-19 cases over the last week, state data released Tuesday shows.
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Are Vermont ICUs in danger of COVID overload? |
WCAX
As COVID cases continue to soar in Vermont ahead of the holiday season, health officials continue to keep a close eye on the state’s hospitals, especially the capacity of intensive care units.
Half of Vermont’s 14 hospitals have a combined average of 96 ICU beds spread around the state. State officials have said there has been an average of only 10 available ICU beds over the past week. But rapidly changing conditions, including staffing and other factors, can make throw a wrench in those numbers.
At Northwestern Medical Center in St. Albans, the delta surge, along with other pressures on the system, has forced staff to think on their feet when it comes to allocating their 34 total beds.
“We have had days where the entire 34-bed unit was full to capacity and we have had to use our birthing center upstairs for overflow capacity,” said the hospital’s Jonathan Billings.
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How Vermont Is Winning the COVID Vaccination War |
US News and World Report
The 70-something man in tiny Readsboro, Vermont, didn't want to go to the trouble of getting the COVID vaccine, especially since his hometown of barely more than 700 people was a good 45-minute drive from the nearest hospital. The only way he'd get it, the man told his wife, was if someone brought the vaccine to him.
Drew Hazelton, a first responder based in Brattleboro, Vermont, was looking for a place to park the 28-foot trailer Rescue, Inc. was using to bring the vaccine to remote areas of the largely rural state. Since there was no public parking space for such a long vehicle, Hazelton parked right on the street – coincidentally right in front of the older man's house.
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Vermont briefing outlines youth vaccinations and urges adults to get COVID shots to assure ICU capacity |
WAMC
During Governor Phil Scott’s weekly briefing today, state officials highlighted Vermont’s progress at scheduling youth vaccinations and also urged adults to get the COVID-19 shots to prevent any possible strain on hospitals.
Vermont’s Republican governor participates in the bi-weekly Tuesday morning conference call between the White House and the National Governors Association for pandemic updates.
Scott says federal officials called last week’s approval of COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged 5 to 11 a milestone and emphasized the importance of getting the shots out
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Vermont Tech expands nursing program in Northeast Kingdom |
Rutland Herald
A new grant aims to expand nursing education in the Northeast Kingdom.
On Wednesday, representatives from Northern Vermont University and Vermont Technical College were joined by the state’s congressional delegation to announce a $241,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration to expand VTC’s in-person clinical nursing program on NVU’s Lyndon campus.
“Our nursing program is essential to Vermont and to addressing the health care workforce shortage,” said Sophie Zdatny, chancellor of the Vermont State Colleges System.
According to Zdatny, more than 650 students are currently enrolled in nursing programs between VTC and Castleton University. An additional 279 students are enrolled in the Community College of Vermont’s allied health preparation certificate program, a pathway to VTC’s nursing program.
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Worker Woes Stifle Vermont Health Care |
The Herald
Gifford’s meeting with central Vermont legislators Monday afternoon was quick and to the point. Taking just over an hour, Gifford Medical Center’s staff painted a bleak picture of various issues affecting health care in the state and offered a plea for legislative action in the coming session.
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